Mumbai’s biggest anime weekend is officially back, and the cosplay community is already stealing the spotlight. As fans flood the Jio World Convention Centre in BKC for Mumbai Comic Con 2026, one cosplayer is hinting at a massive, intricately detailed transformation into Godfrey from Elden Ring. Behind the costume is 35-year-old businessman Shaikh Sameer, who spent nearly six months building the look almost entirely by himself ahead of its big reveal at the event.
Bringing Godfrey to life
For this year’s Comic Con, Sameer decided to transform into Godfrey, the First Elden Lord from the globally popular game Elden Ring. And this isn’t just another armour build. The cosplay also comes packed with hidden surprises, including animatronics and special effects designed to wow audiences once he unveils it at the venue.
Speaking to The Free Press Journal, Sameer shared, “The Godfrey costume took me around six months to complete. Except for the wig, almost everything was made by me. I also experimented with a lot of new techniques while building it.”
The costume reportedly cost him over ₹20,000, with much of the expense going into materials, detailing, and technical additions. “The biggest challenge was learning and implementing completely new techniques. It took a lot of time, patience, and trial and error,” he explained.
More than just a hobby
For Sameer, cosplay isn’t just an occasional activity, it’s pure passion. Despite running a business professionally, he says Comic Con has become a huge part of his life since he first started attending in 2018.
“To be honest, cosplay is the main reason I go to Comic Con,” he said, adding that the community and creativity surrounding the event keep pulling him back every year.
Like many millennials, Sameer’s love for fandom culture started early. Growing up watching classic cartoons, superhero animations, and anime helped shape his interest in cosplay and gaming culture. “I grew up watching Disney cartoons, Batman, Superman, Spider-Man and animated shows. My first anime was Dragon Ball Z,” he revealed.
Rise of India’s cosplay culture
Sameer also believes India’s anime and cosplay scene is only getting bigger. While he admits pop culture festivals are still relatively new in the country, he feels the community has grown massively after the pandemic.
“In India, this culture is still quite new, but I really hope it grows bigger. After the pandemic, pop-culture events evolved beautifully,” he shared. “I think cosplay and fandom culture should eventually be celebrated like festivals across different cities.”
