Gaming
Cosplay Takes the Field in India’s Pop Culture Arena
Ever played dress up as a child? Or put together a last-minute Halloween costume? Well, then you definitely know the struggle is real. Inherently, cosplay is a portmanteau of the word’s “costume” and “play,” and like the name suggests it means just that. There was a time when cosplay was considered nerdy by most and perhaps still is but that just led to the formation of a found-family community that loves the art of cosplay and have come to be known as ‘Cosplayers’. The cosplayer scene in India is growing daily and with Gen Z in a constant dilemma whether they want to be with their favorite character or literally BE their favorite character, cosplay came knocking right on time! It has created a phantasmagoria, that feeds right into Gen Z’s delusion.
Ever since Comic Con launched in India, in 2011, the rage it created around cosplay was unparalleled. From sewed fabrics, to skewed perspectives. Moreover, the tornado of emotions that dare to overwhelm just before the day of the event are a force to be reckoned with. It is usually seen as a phase or a hobby that is acceptable as long it stays that way. People are either ignorant or totally unaware of the monetary profit that cosplay could provide, when done right. But wait, not everyone is, so buckle up as we introduce you to these Indian cosplayers. However, that are an inspiration to cosplay novices and veterans!
1) Medha Shrivastava:
Shape-shifting? Nah, Medha calls it cosplay. Embodying newer avatars is cake-walk for her and if her career choices don’t impress you, then her artistic abilities sure will! She has a degree in animation and film design for Symbiosis Institute of Design and her conceptualization skills will give you all the creative inspo you need. She has a background in films, gaming and creative as well as performing arts. Furthermore, it was only a matter of time before she gave into cosplay calling her name. The very essence of her art is that she becomes one with the art emotionally and quite literally.
It was back when she was working as a game artist in Bangalore. Besides, that she heard about Comic Con and it was her boss who convinced her to participate. She was sceptical at first and thought that it was some fancy-dress competition. But her curiosity got the better of her and she gave it a shot. She managed to create a few costumes and after quite a few failed attempts finalised one.
In June, she decided to participate in the Comic Con India Cosplay contest 2023 and to no one’s surprise took home the Cosplay Championship Trophy for her rendition of Alexstrasza, a character from the much loved ‘World of Warcraft’. In the years preceding the event, she loved to attended Comic Con as an artist and was fascinated by the plethora of cosplayers, donning their outfits as they tribute their favourite characters. Megha soon realized that she was instantly enamoured by the glamour and grandeur that the event brought with it and found herself drawn back each year for more.
The Shape-Shifting Artist
Along with having fun, she also used this as a learning process, carefully studying each cosplayer, analyzing their costume, make-up and other intricacies with an artist’s eye of appreciation for each detail and she believes that’s what helped her gain inspiration and the carefully build her look, creating something magical. In 2019, she participated in the ‘International Cosplay Contest’, held in Shanghai and became the first woman to win the championship and that was what really boosted her confidence to take this up professionally.
Many people don’t understand the effort that goes into cosplaying and so it was quite a strenuous task to get them to pay fairly at first but she soon began collaborating with brands like Amazon, Netflix and other OTT and even gaming companies. She has worked on artwork for the music producer A.R. Rahman.
The Art of Cosplay: Beyond Costumes
She also did an interview with ‘Lounge’, where she spoke about her journey and how she maintains the balance between handling her art career, cosplay and also mentioned about learning from her peers. She often spent most of her days on her home terrace and used to immerse herself in art for hours together.
Soon her mom began to get frustrated with the paint cans and glue strewn everywhere and she had to look for an alternate accommodation. Thus, nowadays, you will find her and a couple of other cosplayer friends housed together in space they’ve rented out in Mumbai. It may be small but it is an absolute artistic haven. Moreover, it heads full of novel ideas or bunch of empty spray paint bottles, you will find it all.
The only thing that Megha loves more than work is her family. Besides, especially her late grandma who always stood by her as a pillar of support. Today, her artistic capabilities and skill have impressed tons of people online and her artistic excellence was acknowledged and applauded globally.
2) Tanya Shringarpure:
She hates following rules and to her luck, cosplaying has absolutely none. Tanya a.k.a. Syrinx is a veterinarian by profession but a cosplayer at heart! Costume disaster? or simply craving fashion-inspo? Don’t fret, her never-ending creative hacks have got you covered. Cosplay to her is synonyms to freedom. It gives her the liberty to express herself as she embodies newer characters and grows. In a world full of restrictions, it gives her the freedom that she thrives in. She believes that the lack of restraint that cosplay has to offer. Furthermore, really gets her creative juices flowing and she thrives in her new-found freedom.
The layman’s perspective is that cosplaying includes no creativity and it is simply a glorified version of copying and they believe that you identify a character and simply copy everything about their persona. Well, then they are either ignorant or simply refuse to see the intricacy. Furthermore, creativity and art that oozes out of every costume and Tanya is here to prove just that. She believes that cosplay comes to life when you add your own personal touch and create a rendition like never before. She isn’t afraid of experimenting and the newer looks she keeps trying are an example of just that. Having cosplayed for so long she has made like-minded friends, who constantly appreciate and support her art.
Creativity Beyond Copying
Her talent in sewing has enabled her to build her costumes from scratch and also given the independence to not depend on anyone else and execute her idea, how she wishes to. The essence of cosplay has broken all gender normativity as artists now have the freedom to embody any character that appeals to them and that is not gender specific. This is also one of the reasons why, after the first time she cosplayed, she couldn’t stop! She soon used her talent at making wigs and today stands as a life saver to many cosplayers. However, as she rents out her affordable, unique and diverse range of wigs to cosplayers looking to add some extra sass to their costume!
3) Sameer Bandela:
If you ever attend a cosplay event and need some awesome pictures taken, Sameer is the guy to call. Being a photographer by profession has helped him observe and create amazing looks, that will leave you gaping. He has been the reigning champion at the Indian Cosplay Championship in 2017, 2019, 2020, 2021. At a Cosplay event, you will either find him behind the camera or on the winner’s podium! He has a keen eye for detail and every look that he creates is a reflection of just that. He is a perfectionist by nature and there have been times in the past where he has said ‘It’s terrible. I will never finish’ and then gone on to win a trip to Chicago. Today, Sameer has won multiple competitions and truly made a mark for himself.
4) Aorin Shariyari:
It’s funny how her user name aptly describes us more than her as she has truly coloured all of us curious. She knows the ins and outs of cosplay and has been in the industry for what feels like forever. Aorin credits her love for colour, fantasy and interest in characters to her background in gaming. She loves to understand the art and creativity that goes behind each costume and today she has managed to create some magic of her own. She is one the few people that has made their obsession and profession the same and she’s enjoying every moment of it.
5) Surya Sreenivasan:
Surya’s costumes are so hyper realistic that it literally feels like the character has come to life. He is an expert at cosplaying, costume making and often gives a little sneak peek of the effort and work that goes into the making of each costume in his BTS videos on Instagram. His fans are always in for a treat when he posts. Furthermore, as they get a better glimpse of him sans all the heavy costume and makeup. He also posts many beginners friendly tutorials that are super helpful for beginners as well as anyone. Who’s curious about what cosplaying has to offer.
The unlimited options and characters that you could choose from are never-ending and so is his creativity. While costume making, his creativity knows no boundaries he makes the best use of things you wouldn’t even imagine using. A little foam, glue, fabric and of course Surya’s touch and there you have it, a larger-than-life costume. Moreover, that is sure to leave you in awe! (In typical Surya fashion).
Hyper-Realistic Costumes and Helpful Tutorials
Be it the tears in their eyes or every intricately crafted tear in their fabrics. Moreover, the skill and attention-to-detail that cosplaying requires, is truly underestimated in India. These cosplayers have broken all the stereotypical notions. Besides, that people have about cosplay and they have proven that it is an art that when taken seriously. Furthermore, he is sure you give you all the artistic liberty that you need to express yourself.
Through their costumes and hard work thus far. However, they have inspired tons of people to express themselves and have also set newer benchmarks. That they themselves strive to break as they grow and improve with each costume. If you are already into cosplay then you will surely appreciate the hard work, determination, thought and creativity, that goes behind each costume. And if you’re not into cosplay, then these very qualities are sure to convince you otherwise.
Gaming has long surpassed the confinement to offline play; the rise of online gaming has introduced a vast world of esports to gaming enthusiasts. Esports athletes, the new generation of gamers, thrive in this digital arena, streaming popular games such as BGMI, Free Fire, Fortnite, Valorant, Call of Duty, Counter-Strike, and more. According to the global esports market report, the market was valued at $1.98 billion in 2023. With a projected compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 20.9%, it is expected to reach $2.39 billion by the end of 2024 and an impressive $10.9 billion by 2032.
Top Indian Esports Teams:
Orangutan
Orangutan has played a big role in the development of gaming culture in India. It is a professional esports organization that provides esports athletes with a platform to play for this organization at the highest level of competition with international standards. Orangutan’s motive is to bring opportunities to gamers in India. It is formed by a collective of passionate gamers and dreamers. It is an Esports organization that is headquartered in Mumbai.
Orangutan is generally involved in 4 prominent games: BGMI, Free Fire, Valorant, and Pokemon Unite. The BGMI players are Akop, Ash, Believe, Whizzgod, and Vedzz. For the game Valorant, they also have a women’s squad of EMI, Erruma, Gunner, Twirly, and Casper.
Team XSpark
Team XSpark is an esports organization located in Mumbai. BGMI is the core of XSpark, with team player and streamer Tanmay’ ScoutOP’ Singh. Urvesh and Axbak manage the team, and Akshuna Bishnoi is the Coach. The main line-up of the XSpark BGMI team is Shubham Ranjan Sahoo (NinjaJOD), Tushar Das (GamlaBoy), Harsh Malik (SPRAYGOD), Sarangajyoti Deka (Sarang), and Tanmay Singh (Sc0utOP).
Sc0utOP (Tanmay Singh) is the team leader of XSpark Battlegrounds Mobile India.
Blind Esports
Blind Esports is an Indian organization with rosters in various esports games, such as Free Fire, Clash of Clans, Call of Duty (COD) Mobile, and Battlegrounds Mobile India (BGMI). It is co-owned by Sharath B and Arjun “Satan” Suresh. In 2023, it was incredibly successful in BGMI. Later, it acquired the ex-Global Esports BGMI roster. The team has currently signed the ex-Team iNsane roster for the 2024 season.
It revealed a program named Blind Elevate that would support upcoming creators.
Blind Esports has been one of the most consistent teams in BGMI in various events and tournaments. The team earned second place on the AFK Gaming BGMI Team Rankings.
Velocity gaming
Velocity Gaming, popularly abbreviated as VLT, was formed in 2017. Manoj “SENTINEL” Kasyap registered as an Indian esports organization in 2019.
The organization initially involved itself in Rainbow Six Siege. Later, Velocity Gaming invested in the Indian esports scene by supporting players of various games, such as Counter-Strike: Global Offensive and PUBG Mobile.
Swayambika Sachar as Sawy joined VLT as a streamer this year (2024).
Velocity Gaming acquires the roster of Ex-Grayfox Esports, consisting (Venkatesh Sharma) venka from India, and (Willy Ivandra) sayoo from Indonesia currently, the active roasters.
Revenant esports
Revenant is Asia’s fastest-growing Esports organization. Home to highly talented competitors in Valorant, Battlegrounds Mobile India, Pokémon Unite, Brawl Stars, Call of Duty Mobile and CS:GO.
Their roasters include Paradox (Kasif Khwaja Sayyed), SkRossi (Ganesh Gangadhar), SkillZ (Jayant Ramesh), Dost9 (Dastan Zhumagali) and Tricky (Prish Valvani).
The Indian gaming industry has been growing in leaps and bounds in recent years. With the establishment of such esports teams and other initiatives, gamers in India have a hopeful road ahead. Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently met with top Indian gamers, including SkRossi, aka Ganesh Gangadhar, to discuss the gaming industry’s future.
Follow these top Esports teams to learn more about the gaming industry.
Are you passionate about video games? Do you love watching gamers play online? We’ve compiled a list of the best Indian gaming content creators guaranteed to provide you with hours of entertainment. Their engaging commentary and thrilling gameplay will make your online viewing experience more fun and exciting.
Get ready for an exhilarating ride with these top gaming creators:
AS Gaming
YouTube Subscribers: 20.3M
Sahil Rana, an Indian YouTuber and Gaming content creator, owns AS Gaming. Sahil is a Free-fire player streaming for an audience of 20.3 million subscribers. Sahil started his YouTube channel in 2016. However, it took him three years to upload his first video, “5 Hidden Places in Bermuda Map,” on the platform. For this Indian gamer, 2020 was a turning point as his channel numbers kept increasing. Sahil also has 3.3 million Instagram followers. He usually plays Garena FreeFire, a famous battle royale game.
Gyangaming
Youtube Subscribers: 16.5M
Ankit Sujan streams gaming content on Gyan Gaming. Garena Free Fire, Fortnite, Minecraft, Grand Theft Auto V, Call Of Duty Mobile, Pubg Moblie, Garena Free Fire Max and GTA 5 are a few games that this gamer is known to be obsessed with. Ankit uploads many videos with his gaming friends AS Gaming and Rai Star.
Ankit began his YouTube journey in 2017 and has uploaded over 3700 videos thereon. Gyan Gaming started by creating content for multiple games, but because Free Fire was more popular, he shifted his focus to Garena Free Fire. Ankit currently has 14.5 million subscribers on his YouTube channel and 2.1 million followers on Instagram. He regularly interacts with his fans by sharing posts about events, updates on new games, and gameplay.
Kroten Gaming
Youtube Subscribers: 20.3M
Chetan Chandgude is the head of Kroten Gaming’s YouTube channel. Kroten Gaming is famous for playing PUBG Mobile and Call of Duty Mobile. He is widely known for his entertaining gaming streaming and informative gameplay videos.
Chetan Chandgude was born and raised in a middle-class family in Pune, Maharashtra. He is the champion of the PUBG Esports contests and currently has a YouTube Gold Play Button. He is the CEO of GodLike eSports, a leading eSports organization home to many teams from India.
Ankit Panth
Youtube Subscribers: 115K
Ankit Panth AKA V3nombiceps is a professional gamer based in Mumbai. He is a Red Bull Athlete. He was the brand ambassador of Alienware and Intel for 5 years.
Ankit worked with Corsair for 5 years & HyperX for a year. Backed up by 15+ years of experience in gaming, he has fulfilled his dream of becoming a professional gamer with dedication and a humble attitude. Coming from a middle-class society, Ankit needed more help at the start of his journey. How he crossed the hurdles and sits where he is today, is an achievement by itself. He has dedicated all his time to gaming and has also achieved a name for himself in the DJing and Fitness industry. He was featured in various magazines in and outside of India.
HydraFlick
Youtube Subscribers: 333K
HydraFlick aka Rohan Ledwani, is an Indian gaming content creator from Vadodara, Gujarat. HydraFlick uploads videos of quality games, tutorials, analysis and reviews. He aims to be one of the best and showcase a prime caliber streaming atmosphere. Rohan wishes to represent India internationally through his streams, gameplay, and solitary performance.
Follow these top gaming content creators with unique and engaging online streaming channels!
S8UL, a prominent force in the Indian esports and gaming landscape, has entered into a strategic partnership with KRAFTON, the global gaming giant behind titles like PUBG Mobile and Battlegrounds Mobile India. This collaboration aims to elevate the launch of Bullet Echo India, a fast-paced, top-down shooter, through the creation of engaging and impactful content.
Leveraging S8UL’s Influencer Power
Central to this partnership is the role of S8UL’s popular creators. Known for their ability to connect with the Indian gaming audience, these influencers will be instrumental in generating excitement and anticipation for Bullet Echo India. By producing a variety of content formats, including:
- In-depth gameplay tutorials and tips
- Thrilling competitive showcases
- Character deep dives
- Behind-the-scenes content
- Engaging community interactions
S8UL aims to create a comprehensive content ecosystem around the game. This strategy is designed to appeal to a wide range of players, from casual gamers seeking tips to hardcore esports enthusiasts looking for competitive action.
Bullet Echo India is a Fresh Take on the Battle Royale Genre
Bullet Echo India is a fast-paced, top-down action shooter that has taken the Indian gaming scene by storm. Developed by Krafton, the same studio behind global sensations like PUBG Mobile and Battlegrounds Mobile India, this game offers a unique and thrilling gameplay experience.
While classified as a battle royale, Bullet Echo India sets itself apart with its distinct top-down perspective and focus on tactical gameplay. Players are thrown into intense, short duration matches where survival hinges on quick reflexes, strategic thinking, and effective teamwork.
With its innovative gameplay and competitive format, Bullet Echo India has the potential to capture the hearts of Indian gamers. The partnership with S8UL will further amplify the game’s reach and engagement, ensuring a successful launch and sustained player interest.
A Win-Win Partnership
The collaboration between S8UL and KRAFTON is a strategic move to capitalize on the burgeoning Indian gaming market. By combining KRAFTON’s game development expertise with S8UL’s influencer power, the partnership aims to create a winning formula for the launch of Bullet Echo India.
S8UL’s deep understanding of the Indian gaming audience and its ability to create engaging content will be crucial in driving player acquisition and retention. In turn, KRAFTON’s resources and expertise will support S8UL’s efforts to deliver high-quality content to its audience.
The partnership between S8UL and KRAFTON signifies a broader trend in the gaming industry, where collaborations between game developers and content creators are becoming increasingly important. By working together, these two industry leaders are setting a new standard for game launches and demonstrating the power of influencer marketing in the gaming space.
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