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Wait for a ‘magical’ offering by Mohanlal

As a prelude to Vismayam 2008

Mohanlal

Actor Mohanlal will turn a magician on April 27 when he will present ‘Burning Illusion’ at Chandrasekharan Nair Stadium as a curtain raiser to the international magic festival, ‘Vismayam 2008’.

Counted as one of the most dangerous acts, the Burning Illusion will find the actor inspiring the youth to overcome debacles in life with sheer determination. Mr. Lal has been learning magic for the last one year and has mastered the open air escape s tunt, according to Executive Director of the Magic Academy, Gopinath Muthukad.

The event to be held at 5 p.m. is being organised jointly by the Kerala Police and the Kerala State Youth Welfare Board. Speaker M. Radhakrishnan and Minister for Law and Parliamentary Affairs M. Vijayakumar will be present.

A motorcycle rally by 10 blindfolded magicians from Museum to Secretariat to spread the message ‘Save Energy, Save Kerala’ on April 28 and a ‘Bullet Catching’ show by Prince Sill at Gandhi Park on April 30 were organised to drum up support for the magic festival.

Over 1,000 magicians, including 100 from abroad, will participate in the four-day magic festival to be organised by the Kerala Tourism and Magic Academy in the capital from May 1.

Principal Secretary, Tourism, V. Venu and Mr. Muthukad told a press conference that Chief Minister V. S. Achuthanandan will inaugurate the ‘global magic carnival’ on May 1 at a function to be organised at the University Senate Hall.

A cultural show, magic shows by Fukai Masahiro and Jorge Bliss and a ‘Marching the Magic’ event from St. Joseph’s School to the Senate Hall by three magicians will add glitter to the inaugural event.

On May 2 and 3, AKG Hall will turn venue for the daytime sessions, comprising master classes on magic and competitions, exclusively for magicians.

The ‘Grand Champion of Magic’ will be selected at the final round of the competitions to be held at the Senate Hall later in the evening. The winner to be selected by a three-member jury will take home a purse of Rs.1 lakh and an ornate shield.

Mr. Muthukad said the street magicians from the country will present Mazma, a fest showcasing their tricks, at the Hassan Marikkar Hall in connection with Vismayam. A photo exhibition and video show will also be organised at the venue. Another attraction will be the 42 stalls to be set up by major magic material manufacturers at the St. Joseph’s school auditorium.

On the concluding day, Kerala Tourism will be organising a mass ‘magical demonstration for world peace’ by parading all the magicians participating in the festival at Kanakakunnu palace.

Magicians will set free the pigeons they created out of thin air into the blue skies. Later, they will proceed in 20 buses to form a magical road train to Kanyakumari.

Magic shows will be organised at the Sunset point with the setting sun as the backdrop. The fest will conclude with magicians putting their signatures on the big display boards put up on the shores.

The magicians who are expected include Fukai Masahiro and Kiyoka Fukai (Japan), Jorge Blass (Spain), Mirko Callacy (Argentenia), Kenrick ICE McDonald (USA) and Close-up Magic exponent Marcel Oudejans (South Africa).

Lin Jian and Lu Dinggang from China along with the Young magical pair Akua Shin and Hikari Furuyama will attend Vismayam 2008.

S. Anil Radhakrishnan

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