Cosplayer Sameer Bundela brings home another trophy after winning the second place at the cosplay competition held by Hi-Rez Studios. The first place was bagged by cosplayer Samui San from Brazil for cosplaying as Rama from SMITE. Considering the ongoing pandemic, the contest which saw participants from across the globe was held virtually.
“It was such an amazing opportunity to be able to take part in such a huge event from the comforts of my home in these circumstances,” expressed Bundela. He thinks that every new cosplay of his is a bigger challenge than the previous one. With the award-winning Ares from SMITE, he challenged himself to be as detailed and have finesse as possible. “People were actually accusing me of cheating, saying that it wasn’t a cosplay at all , instead I have just taken screenshots of the game and painted on top of it. That always feels nice to hear,” Bundela jokingly commented.
Bundela has represented India in five international competitions till date and finds himself more excited each time than the last one. “It’s an honour to represent my country and put out my work on display,” added he.
The cosplay industry is still in the growing phase with its pros and cons. The covid pandemic, which hit many industries, had been hard on the cosplay industry too, as these events are the main source of income for many artists. Bundela, who is looking at the situation positively said, “When one door closes, others appear. I have seen a tremendous growth in my social media presence and have a huge audience outside India, which has led to me getting international projects. As for India, I’m patiently waiting for the world to resume to get a better idea on how to proceed in the future.”
Bundela loves the crafting and challenges that come with cosplay. “I get to meet many people from across the world and I love people getting crazy by my creations. Cosplaying is amazing.”
He advises the aspiring artists with a simple yet strong message, “Do! Or do not! There is no wish!”
The future for Bundela definitely looks bigger, shinier and different. He has mastered the art of cosplay to a satisfactory level but thinks that this is the time to add more skills to his arsenal. “I’m looking to venture into sewing and electronics and prosthetics and other things I feel that I need to explore more.” He is also focusing more on creating content for youtube, so we can expect a ton of tutorials and work in progress videos. “I’m planning to stream crafting on Twitch regularly so that people can benefit from my experiences, and hopefully I can do my part in promoting cosplay to a bigger level in India,” he concluded.
