BENGALURU: When I see little kids overwhelmed and adults beaming with childlike joy when they see something out of the comic book world, it is the best feeling ever,” said Nabil Khan, a cosplay artiste. Having won the Middle East Films & Comic Con cosplay competition for his Doctor Octavius cosplay, he added, “It started as a challenge between my cousin and I, and it just so happens that I outdid myself and won the Indian Cosplay championship, from where there was no turning back.”
At the Cosplay 101 Workshop by Maruti Suzuki Arena Comic Con India at Vapour Indiranagar on Saturday, Khan took fans through the entire process of crafting one’s own costume, in addition to helping them understand how and where they can obtain costumes, props, wigs, and more. The workshop also highlighted easy hacks and basic dos and don’ts required for this form of art.
“Cosplaying has become an integral part of the global Comic-Con events, so much so that fans are now open to taking it as a steady career option. We saw great traction from those looking to cosplay for the first time and want to learn all about what goes into creating that perfect costume and look from none other than some of the best professional cosplayers,” explains Jatin Varma, founder, Comic Con India.
Khan believes that the audience connects better with negative characters rather than quintessential heroes. Thus, he tries to maintain the ‘villain’ or ‘negative’ aura in all his cosplays. Dr Otto Octavious and Wolverine are his dearest characters. Apart from playing the fictional character, the 28-year-old also wants to play some characters from the mythological world in future. He intends to branch out with a few more creative aspects of cosplays.
“I come from a business background and initially, my family was sceptical about the whole thing but now, they are all for it. Now my parents keep an eye out for characters and persuade me to make them. I stick out like a happy sore thumb from the rest of the doctors and engineers in the family,” said the mechanical engineering graduate from MS Ramaiah Institute of Technology.
This artiste also has his share of challenges while working on the comic characters. “It’s mostly the lack of materials in India, but like every Indian knows, ‘jugaad’ is always there to the rescue. Earlier, people did not understand the concept of cosplay. Thanks to Comic-Con, the situation has changed,” said Khan, adding, “I want people to express themselves more freely. I have been working on a gallery/cafe/workshop space. I don’t have a name for it yet. It’s for anyone to come and use all the equipments available at their disposal, to work and create their masterpieces and experience a different form of lifestyle. I wish to be able to provide a platform to people like the way I had gotten from Comic Con India.”