A Bag of Tricks

It takes years to master the craft,says magician Samrat Shankar

Magician Samrat Shankar grabs your attention with a brisk movement of his hands — a piece of paper turns into a Rs 500 note,a coin into a perfume bottle and a nut materializes from nowhere. “You see what’s not there and miss what’s there,” he says about his craft. “Magic is all about showing what you want,in a way that others do not get to know,” he adds,divulging that the neat sleight of hand takes years of hard work and concentration to master. “It is a combination of art and science and demands complete attention. One has to understand the psyche of the people,” he says. Once,it took him weeks to master a simple cards trick. “I started learning magic at the age of 12. My family was opposed to my taking it up as a profession but once I saw the show of Dev Kumar,a magician from Kolkata,my heart was set,” he says,smiling.

Shankar is in Panchkula for a series of magic shows to be inaugurated by Prahlad Singh Gillankhera,Chief Parliamentary Secretary,Haryana on September 10. “I am supposed to ride blindfolded,from Sector 8 to Sector 11,” he says,adding that the shows will aid the Chief Minister Relief Fund. As of now,Shankar is turning his attention to preserving the dying art of magic. “I have requested the government to offer some relief. While the Rajasthan state government has already waived entertainment tax,we wish the central government does it too,” he signs off.