Kerala   

Magician bites the bullet

Bullet in: Magician Prince Sil from Kolkata performing the ‘biting the bullet’ trick at ‘Vismayam 2008’ in Thiruvananthapuram.

Magician Prince Sil literally bit the bullet with the dare-devil act of catching a bullet that was fired from a gun with his teeth.

The Kolkata-based magician who was accompanied by his wife, Jaya, and daughter Roshini, also a magician, was visibly shaken when he completed the act holding the bullet between his teeth, in a show which was held in Gandhi Park in connection with the ongoing ‘Vismayam 2008,’ an international magic festival in Thiruvananthapuram.

Warning of the dangers of the act, the magician’s daughter described how the act had nearly turned fatal for Mr. Sil during one of his shows when a speeding bullet grazed his face, narrowly missing the magician’s eye.

Spicing up the dramatic element, the magician himself signed a bond taking “sole responsibility” for any possible mishaps that could occur during the show. The bond was read out to the public by Cherian Philip, chairman, Kerala Tourism Development Corporation, who was later enlisted by the magician as a representative of the public to ensure that there was no foul play involved in the feat.

Mr. Philip was also asked to inspect the gun, complete with a license, and also the bullet on which the chairman was told to put an ‘X’ mark so that he could verify it at the completion of the trick. The bullet was then fired from a distance by one of his assistants through a glass pane placed in front of it that acted as a target marker. The bullet shattered the glass pane and knocked the magician down, leaving the onlookers stunned. The entire act was just a “combination of illusion, science and calculation,” the magician himself revealed after the show.

A magician for 38 years, Mr. Sil has been performing the bullet catching act since 1977. “I have tried this act with various weapons including rifles, revolvers and pistols,” said Mr. Sil who claims that his dream is to die on stage. “I really enjoy the thrill the audience receives from watching this show that I do not feel complete as a magician without performing this,” said Mr. Sil.

Sangeeth Kurian

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Stories in this Section

Pratibha Patil calls for decorum in legislatures
Pawar turns down Kerala’s request
Cabinet clears Paloli panel report
Semester, grading systems only next year
They cut down on fruits and fish
Colourful parade
IT growth in Kochi to be sustained
Akkani in demand during summer
Lessons in beautiful writing
Log in to know your results
Mango magic
Peoplespeak
Magician bites the bullet
Kumbla to host meet of Billavas
CAMPUS NOTES
Striving to stop elephant attacks
Eco-friendly move
Growing unrest
Celebration?
Entry to e-world
Hearty greetings
A livelihood at sea
GoAir suspends Kochi operations
Airport workers’ strike
Hearty welcome

Copyright © 2008, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu