Sameer Bundela is in it for the art. With a deep interest in the fandom and comic cultures, the artist and photographer will be pairing up with Comic Con India to partake in the upcoming festivities of Hyderabad Comic Con. In fact, this Sunday, Hyderabadis can learn the ABCs of cosplaying from the international cosplayer himself.
Sameer explains he first got bitten by the cosplaying bug when he developed a love for comic books at an early age. This led to him pursuing the arts through his studies at Academy of Animation and Gaming in Noida; something he is very much implementing in his cosplaying.
An admirer of the not-so-mainstream characters such as Spiderman and Deadpool, Sameer aka AT8 brought characters such as Chewbacca and Judge Dredd to conventions, inviting curiosity and conversation, which he particularly enjoys.
Having cosplayed for the past six years, the Mumbai-based artist just won 2017’s Indian Cosplaying Championship (ICC) and also represented India at the Crown Championship of Cosplay in Chicago. His self-made costume of Skywrath from Dota 2 looks like no small feat to manifest.
Creating the behemoth of a costume required a great deal of planning, according to Sameer. He adds, “The wings took a few tries to perfect in regards to the mechanisms; they had to be detachable but still hold up well — and with a 12 foot wing span, that’s a challenge.”
What to expect
It is through his experience as a cosplayer that Hyderabad’s workshop will flourish. Sameer explains that he’s learned to start off with simple ensembles, “See, each prop can be made of various materials and items, so expect a lot of focus to be placed upon planning stages of formulating a costume.”
Sameer finds the process of figuring out the trials and errors of creating a costume, something participants can look forward to rather than dread. Aspects such as construction strategies, budgeting and character research are also included.
As well as being a great way to learn fascinating hacks on how to cosplay and to make an impression, the event will be a great way to meet other budding and established cosplayers in the city— and who knows, maybe you’ll bump into MahiMomo and Akhil Macharla.
We also know it isn’t easy to acquire materials for costumes in India, so fear not; Sameer will educate everyone on how and where to obtain costumes, props, wigs, and more for that perfect costume.
Additionally, Heart Cup Coffee as the venue means the hard work will be aided by yummy nibbles and flowing drinks, making the afternoon a memorable experience for sure.
‘A Special Cosplay Workshop on the Road to Hyderabad Comic Con’ will be taking place on Sunday 17 September at Heart Cup Coffee on Road Number 45, Jubilee Hills. The event is free to enter and no registration is required for it.