Colourful costumes, vivid imagination and crazy fun ––that’s what the second edition of the Indian Championship of Cosplay will be about.The competition has 9 finalists (Grand prize winners of Cosplay competition of Hyderabad, Mumbai, Bengaluru & Delhi Comic Cons 2016), who will be competing for a spot at the Annual Crown Championships of Cosplay at Chicago Comics & Entertainment Expo. “I am really excited to launch the Indian Championship of Cosplay! Comic Con India has been at the forefront of promoting and fostering the cosplay eco-system in the country and with this initiative we take it a step ahead. I wish all the finalists the very best and may the best cosplayer win!” says Jatin Varma, Founder, Comic Con India.
Competing for the top spot are Akhil Macharla and Hari Teja from Hyderabad, Jeet Molankar and Ryle D’Silva from Mumbai, Rajat Mehta and Sameer Bundela from Bengaluru, and our very own Dilliwalahs Nadir Hussain, Sana Khan and Zara Rebello.
Nadir who won the Delhi bout by gearing up as Hunter from Halo says, “ I am really happy to have made it to the finals of the cosplay championship. It took me two months to make the costume, which included making templates, cutting them out and finishing it into the final product. I spent over 7000 Rs making it and I’m glad the effort paid off.” Sana Khan’s cosplay of Vengeful Spirit from DOTA (Defense of the Ancients), was quick to become a fan favourite during the comic con and she feels that cosplay is a thing she’d like to continue doing, “ I started cosplaying about 6 months ago, so making it to the championship was a crazy thought for me. I chose the character because of her legend and storyline behind it.I have always been a fan of art and design (gaming and animation) and did my studies in fashion, but it was cosplay where I found a right mix of both, and I’d love to continue cosplaying in the future.”
Zara Rebello who’s been cosplaying for a year now says, “My cosplayer name is Purple Shrimp (you can find my page on Facebook “Purple Shrimp cosplay”). I have been cosplaying for about a year now and I’m absolutely ecstatic to have won the Grand Prize at Delhi ComicCon. The character that I won with is Vengeful Spirit from the game Dota 2 in her Blessings of the Crested Umbra set. I chose her because she is one of my favourite heroes in the game that I am addicted to. She also has this mysterious air about her that really fascinates me. Her lore is pretty cool, as she is fallen royalty whose wings have broken. I have used all sorts of material for the costume, from cloth and foam to wire and resin. There are a lot of components to it and it took me approximately 2 months to make. Cosplay may be slightly stressful for me, but it is rewarding enough that I am satiating my passion for art. The awards I have won are just the icing on top of a cake. Rest assured, this will not be my last cosplay and I’m looking forward to portraying the millions of amazing characters that not only the gaming scene offers, but also animes and movies!”
{{/usCountry}}Zara Rebello who’s been cosplaying for a year now says, “My cosplayer name is Purple Shrimp (you can find my page on Facebook “Purple Shrimp cosplay”). I have been cosplaying for about a year now and I’m absolutely ecstatic to have won the Grand Prize at Delhi ComicCon. The character that I won with is Vengeful Spirit from the game Dota 2 in her Blessings of the Crested Umbra set. I chose her because she is one of my favourite heroes in the game that I am addicted to. She also has this mysterious air about her that really fascinates me. Her lore is pretty cool, as she is fallen royalty whose wings have broken. I have used all sorts of material for the costume, from cloth and foam to wire and resin. There are a lot of components to it and it took me approximately 2 months to make. Cosplay may be slightly stressful for me, but it is rewarding enough that I am satiating my passion for art. The awards I have won are just the icing on top of a cake. Rest assured, this will not be my last cosplay and I’m looking forward to portraying the millions of amazing characters that not only the gaming scene offers, but also animes and movies!”
{{/usCountry}}Now that we’ve got you up to speed with all the dope about the competition, here is what you can do to make your favourite cosplayers win. Just log on to http://bit.ly/2iPbTY7 and vote for your favourite cosplayer. The finale will be taking place on Feb 12 at Ansal Plaza. May the best cosplayer win (though we hope it is one from the city).
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