Cosplayer Interview 3: Ajay Kapoor

Ajay Kapoor is a man of few words. A laid back guy with a quiet demeanour, he prefers to let his work do the talking.Two time comic con grand prize winner, he tells us about himself & what cosplay is to him.

 Q1. Tell us about yourself.

I’m a software Engineer with Accenture. Originally from Delhi, I’ve been working in Bangalore for the past three years.

Q2. Why did you decide to cosplay?

I have loved working with tools and making stuff since I was a kid. Cosplay provided me with a good challenge to deconstruct a character’s costume and then make it myself.

Q3. What was your first cosplay?

Tony Stark at the first Bangalore Comic Con.

Q4. What are  your hobbies & interests apart from cosplaying?

Other interests include drawing, reading  (big Harry Potter  fan boy), playing with lego, and occasionally photography. 

Q5. How do you make your cosplays & how much do they cost you on an average?

I try to make as much of my costume as I can by myself. I usually use fabric glue a lot, mixed with stitching wherever finishing is required. For working with uncommon fabrics like rexine or lycra, I usually go to the tailor to get it stitched. I also make my props myself. For those, I try to use stuff I find lying around the house.

Since I save on tailor costs, on an average, my cosplays cost about 3k per costume including all props.

Q6. Your most expensive cosplay till date?

Angemon set me back by  about 3.7k.

Q7. Could you please describe its construction?

While making the costume, I broke it down into smaller components, the wings, the bodysuit and the helmet. For the wings, I got big sheets of white colored foam, cut out the wing patterns and hot glued them around a thick wire frame. For the bodysuit I got lycra from a local market and gave it to the tailor to have it stitched. In the meantime, I used foam and rexine to craft out the add ons to the costume such as the belt and the helmet. I put on a coat of white paint over the wings and silver over the helmet and let them dry. My wig did not arrive on time so I had to make a mock one for myself. I cut 7 reels of thick thread to almost meter length pieces and then hot glued them to the inside of the foam helmet that I had made earlier. For the staff, I got a pvc pipe and spray painted it golden. Once I got the bodysuit back, I cut out the face section, added Velcro straps to the wings to make a harness, put it on and Angemon was ready.

Q8. If you had to improve it, what would you have done differently?

I really wished I’d gone to the gym a little more though, so that I wouldn’t have had to draw outlines for the chest and abs. :P

Q9. Which cosplays have you planned for NYCC?

As of now I only have one planned. Rath from Mummies Alive.

Q10. Any  advice for upcoming cosplayers & newbies?

Do a cosplay that you love and want to do, irrespective of what others might say, and put all your effort into it. Give it your best shot so that at the end of the day, you are a satisfied cosplayer. Also, check out works of other cosplayers and don't hesitate to ask and discuss your doubts, no matter how small they are.

Ajay Kapoor will next be seen, cosplaying at New York Comic Con. He is also the go to guy if anyone needs tips on sewing or on making props.

Interview Conducted by Charlotte Rodricks

[Editted by Rahul Sharma, NEA Props]

{Indian Cosplay Community}