Comic Con India is finally coming to Kolkata this weekend (February 22–23), demonstrating that even India’s cultural centre is susceptible to fashionably late arrivals. The fact that India’s largest pop culture event took so long to arrive is almost comical for a city that is known for its love of literature, art, and storytelling.
From early influences like patachitra to Sukholota Rao’s Jemon Kormo Temni Fol (1921), one of the first known Bengali comics, Bengali comics have a long history. Bengal gave the literary world famous authors like Mayukh Chowdhury, Saila Chakraborty, and Narayan Debnath, whose writings influenced readers for centuries and sparked a fervent comic book fanbase in the state.
Returning to this weekend’s main event, the NODWIN Gaming Arena is expected to provide a top-notch gaming experience with special appearances by significant players in the market like Lenovo, PlayStation, and Logitech. The Rs-899 pas scorer will have the opportunity to test their abilities on fast-paced racing simulators, participate in community competitions, visit a special family-friendly board game area, and immerse themselves in an immersive Chandrayaan VR experience.
Jatin Varma, Founder of Comic Con India quoted in a press statement, “We are beyond thrilled to bring Comic Con India to Kolkata for the very first time! This city has always been a powerhouse of art, literature, and storytelling, making it the perfect destination for our next big pop culture celebration.”
However, gaming is not the only form of entertainment; the Biswa Bangla Mela Prangan has a fantastic lineup of events that will excite the crowd. This also introduces some well-known figures from the stand-up industry, such as Sapan Verma, Rohan Joshi, The Internet Said So (Varun Thakur, Kautuk Srivastav, and Aadar Malik), and Azeem Banatwala. The enthusiasm is further increased by thrilling musical performances by Desible and Geek Fruit. Lastly, the concert will be closed with a bang by one of the talented Biswa, Kalyan Rath.