Women magicians from Kerala and different parts of the country and abroad would be exhibiting their skills at the world's first Convention of Women Magicians to be held in Thiruvananthapuram on May 30.
From mere assistant roles to solo performances now, the women magicians in the country have come a long way, breaking yet another male bastion.
In a proof of their growing stature in the field, women magicians from Kerala and different parts of the country and abroad would be exhibiting their skills at the world's first Convention of Women Magicians to be held in Thiruvananthapuram on May 30.
About 150 magicians, including world no.1 woman magician Luna Shimada of the US, have already registered for the convetion titled, 'Maya 2010', organisers told PTI.
Hosts Kerala would be represented by 20 participants, including a 12-year-old school student.
Earlier, women magicians could perform only as assistants. However, things have changed now and the fairer sex have
started performing on their own, magician Gopinath Muthukad,
the brain behind the setting up of a Magic Academy at
Thiruvanathapuram, told PTI.
Housewives, working women and students come to the
academy, which is organising the convention, to learn magic as
a hobby. They do perform, but very few take it up as a
profession, he said.
The Academy, which started in 1996,offers various courses
for beginners.
Muthukad, who has done several shows in various parts of
the country and abroad and has trained Malayalam superstar
Mohanlal, said the effort is to bring more women into the
field of magic. Women can perform better and are more
flexible, he says.
Magician Maneka Sorcar, daughter of P C Sorcar Junior, the
monarch of modern magic, had been invited but the academy has
not received any response from her so far, Muthukad said.
Former kerala chief secretary, Lissie Jacob, is learning
magic as a hobby and continues to take lessons regularly.
Jacob had performed during the Kerala Magicians meet in
February 2008.
Kaized Bhumgara, an air hostess from Mumbai, along with her two daugters Pearl (20) and Zenia (12) would be performing in the convention's competitive section also. Kaized is the former general secretary of Society of Indian Magicians, Mumbai.
There are four categories of competitions -- Stage Magic (Seniors and Juniors), Close up (the magicians will have to perform very close to the audience), Innovative kitchen which has been newly introduced in the magic compe tition.
In the innovative kitchen magic, the presenter would come
dressed as an Indian housewife and would present magic with
more household utensils and vegetables than ordinary magic
tools.
The participants would also be cooking on stage while
performing magic, he said.
Twentyfour-year-old R Indusree from Bangalore, a well
known ventriloquist and magician, who has done several stage
shows and performed on various Kannada TV channels, says she
was drawn to the field of magic as a child and took the field
very seriosuly from the age of 16. 'I feel on the top of the
world performing', she told PTI from Bangalore.
Times have changed now and Magic is a field where Women
can unhesitatingly walk in, she says. Indusri said she was
taught the nuances of magic by Keshav Jadugar, A K Datt, Uday
Jadugar and Prabhu. A very supportive family helped her, she
said adding her father accompanies her to various shows.
The smiles of people watching her perform, their questions, have given her the strength to on on. 'Magic gives one the power to mesmerise anyone and I was fascinated'. As a child, she thought homeworks could be done magically, she says.
Her triple 'dummy act' in which she performs ventroloquism with three different dolls has been well received. Indusri said she would be competing also in the Convention.
Jayam 'Jammu' from Coimbatore in her 50s would be performing a 'shadow play'.
Geeta from Thiruvananthapuram, who is a school teacher,
got interested in magic and took lessons from the academy. She
would be performing and competing in one of the categories.
Twelve-year-old Sanjusha, an 8th standard school student
from Vatakara, who has won several prizes for performing magic
recently, took interest in magic since the past three years.
She said she was being tutored by a magician and has
participated in various stage shows and competitions.
She won the second prize in All India magic competitions
in Junior competitions held last week at Jagtial in Kareemnagar District of Andhra Pradesh. The young magician said she was thrilled to be part of the convention and said she had some special tricks up her sleeve.
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