Kolkata-based cosplayer Rhea Chowdhury remembers the time she visited the Delhi Comic Con a couple of years ago. “There was this giant board at the entrance that said ‘Cosplay is not consent !’ And right in front of it, I remember people literally grabbing cosplayers by the waist and clicking selfies with them, without even asking for permission. Can there be a bigger irony than that?” she asks. This scene is not something that is exclusive to the Delhi Comic Con. Cosplayers – particularly girls – getting harassed by over-enthusiastic fans is a phenomenon common across India. But in Delhi, with thousands of fans pouring in at the three-day event, cosplayers say it is impossible to manage everyone despite police presence at the venue. Cosplayers have had to devise ways to ward off those who try and get too close in the garb of getting pictures, and organisers also say they have developed anti-harassment policy and try to help the cosplayers stay harassment-free.Almost every female cosplayer has stores involving over-enthusiastic fans and those who just don’t take no for an answer. Akanksha Sachan, a Delhi-based fashion designer and cosplayer, tells us, “You simply can’t control people. When they see a female cosplayer, they try and get as close as possible. They won’t even ask if they can click a picture. They just randomly come up to you and click pictures. You can’t walk up to a girl on the street and get a selfie. Thappad maar degi woh aapko. At Comic Con, they feel entitled to get pictures simply because we are dressed up. And then, they try and get touchy-feely while doing that.”Rhea Chowdhury as Harley Quinn and Akanksha Sachan as Nico RobinSome have also had to face damaged costumes and props as a result. Navita, a graphic designer who moonlights as a cosplayer, recounts, “People touch your props and they want to hold it. There are some who ask for it politely but many don't even bother asking. I remember in a cosplay event in 2016, a guy took my sword without asking, he was swinging it around and it fell on the floor. When I got my sword back, the handle had broken. People don't understand that our props are fragile.”While most cosplay-based events across the country are not harassment-free, what makes events like the Delhi Comic Con more susceptible to it is the crowd they attract. Rhea explains, “The convention here is three-day long and a lot of people who come in are not strictly pop culture enthusiasts. They are people who have come to an event on a weekend. They don’t necessarily understand cosplay.” Cosplayers say people feel an entitled to get pictures with the cosplayers, which is why a no is never received well. Saumya Singh, a Delhi-based cosplayer adds, “Most of the times, people in Delhi don’t understand that we are not people hired by Comic Con who are there for guests’ entertainment. They don’t realise we are participants who have willingly dressed up for this event. Unko lagta hai paise diye hain ticket ke toh selfie toh milni chahiye. They simply come up to you and get a picture before you can even react and then vanish into the crowd.”Aorin Shariyari, a professional cosplayerThe cosplayers say they resort to a number of tactics. Saumya tells us, “I simply yell at anyone who doesn’t listen. I start shouting and create a scene.” Other female cosplayers say that they tend to roam in groups or have guy friends with them just to keep the selfie-seekers in check. Cosplayers add that they ask for volunteers to be their personal bodyguards if it gets too crowded. Aorin Shariyari, a professional cosplayer from Delhi, says, “On their part, the organisers are helpful. They have volunteers all around the venue and I simply ask one of the volunteers to be my personal bodyguard for the event. That way, they can ensure people don’t bother me or try and get too close.”Akansha Sachan as Kayle and Rhea Chowdhury as Raven at Delhi Comic Con last yearMany cosplayers say that they even go for more conservative costumes in Delhi, to minimise any potential harassment. Shweta Singh, a cosplay enthusiast from Bangalore, says, “I found that I was able to dress up more freely at the cons in Bangalore and Hyderabad, and do cosplays that were a little revealing, like Harley Quinn and Supergirl. But in Delhi, I know that I will have to deal with an increased number of harassers, why should I make things more difficult for myself by going for such a costume? So, I dress conservatively in Delhi.” Shweta went to the Delhi Comic Con as Wednesday Addams. Karishma, a Delhi-based student, adds, “A couple of years ago, I wanted to dress up as Supergirl, complete with the crop top and shorts, but after day one, when I saw how bad it can get with some of the fans, I dropped the idea. I instead, went as a Disney princess.” Professional cosplayers, however, add that their choice of costume hardly depends on this factor as ‘ab toh aadat ho chuki hai’. “I choose a costume that I’m comfortable with, and plus not many girls go for costumes with skin show in Delhi because the event takes place in December when it is cold,” says Aorin.Rhea Chowdhury as Yona at Delhi Comic Con last yearWhen asked about the steps taken to ensure the cosplayers’ experience is harassment-free at the convention, the organisers of Comic Con say that they have taken cognisance of the issue, and have an ant-harassment policy in place. Jatin Verma, founder, Comic Con India, says, “Four years ago, Comic Cons globally started the campaign called ‘Cosplay is not consent’ to make sure they send the message across that just because cosplayers are in costume, it doesn’t mean they are obliged to get clicked with you. The anti-harassment policy we have in place begins with the words: ‘Keep your hands to yourself’. We even encourage the cosplayers, or anyone else for that matter, to file a police complaint and we support them fully in their dealings with the police too.”

Stay updated with all the Delhi Latest News headlines here. For more exclusive & live news updates from all around India, stay connected with NYOOOZ.