Pune witnessed a high-energy celebration of pop culture as Pune Comic Con concluded its latest edition at Mayfield Yash Garden, drawing over 25,000 attendees across two days. Presented by Maruti Suzuki Arena and powered by Crunchyroll, the event brought together comics, cosplay, gaming, and music, reflecting the city’s dynamic creative spirit.
Fans from across the city, including students, artists, and families, explored artist alleys, comic showcases, collectibles, and interactive zones. Known for its rich cultural heritage and youthful energy, Pune proved to be a natural home for an event that thrives on storytelling and self-expression.
The creators’ stage was a major highlight, featuring sessions with international and Indian artists such as Josh Blaylock, Savio Mascarenhas, Abhijeet Kini, Saumin Suresh Patel, Vibha Rao, and Alaina Vinayak. Discussions around comic creation, global collaborations, and digital storytelling kept audiences engaged, while community-driven sessions like the Pune Anime Community spotlight added a local touch.
Entertainment continued across both days with a mix of art, comedy, and performances. Sessions like Doodle Mayhem: Ubharta Kalakar and Kvizzing with KV drew enthusiastic participation, while the Comic Con Comedy Showcase featuring Vivek Desai, Siddhartha Shetty, and Fatima Ayesha connected well with the audience.
Music performances added to the atmosphere, with acts like Gamak, Geek Fruit, and 99side, along with a standout performance by Voctronica’s all-vocal orchestra.
Cosplay remained one of the biggest attractions, with participants dressing up as popular characters from anime, comics, and films. The Pune Comic Con Cosplay Contest offered a daily prize pool of ₹30,000, while the Indian Championship of Cosplay 2026 – Pune Qualifier saw Jessica Das win ₹50,000 and secure a spot at the national finals.
The event also featured immersive brand experiences, including gaming zones, VR setups, anime-themed installations, and fan engagement activities. Highlights included the NODWIN Gaming Zone, Maruti Suzuki Arena Fan Experience Zone, and the Crunchyroll anime installations.
Shefali Johnson, CEO, Comic Con India said, “Pune has a cultural rhythm that is very distinct. It’s a city where you grow up around literature, theatre, music, and ideas, whether its conversations in old bookstores, performances across its theatre circuits, or the energy that comes from its many colleges. Over this weekend, we saw that same spirit come alive at Comic Con. Fans showed up with a lot of intent, from carefully crafted cosplay to spending time with artists and creators, really engaging with the work. There’s also something very ‘Punekar’ about the way people experience culture here, it’s thoughtful, curious, and deeply involved. Seeing that blend of legacy and contemporary pop culture play out across the venue made this edition feel very true to Pune’s identity as the cultural capital of Maharashtra.”
Akshat Rathee, Co-founder and Managing Director, NODWIN Gaming said, “For us at NODWIN, Pune represents one of the most important intersections of youth culture in the country. With its student population, growing creator ecosystem, and a strong base of gamers, anime, music and pop-culture fans, it’s a city that naturally leans into our offerings. Over the past two weekends, it was incredible to see how deeply fans engaged with two of our IPs, ICONiQ White NH7 Weekender and Pune Comic Con. There’s a certain sincerity in how Pune embraces culture, where people come together to participate and express themselves. That makes it a very exciting city for us as we continue to build and grow these experiences.”
With strong participation and enthusiastic fan engagement, Pune Comic Con once again reinforced its place as a key event in the city’s cultural calendar, celebrating the seamless blend of global pop culture and local creativity.
