NEW DELHI: The power of magic has fascinated people for a long time. In fact, illusionists who are deft at manipulating human perception can both amaze and intrigue their audience. Karan Singh from Greater Kailash— he is one among Delhi’s well-known magicians—performed his first trick at the age of 11, which is exactly the same age when modern-day literary wizard Harry Potter received his first Hogwarts letter. The Hagrid in Singh’s life was a magician at a summer camp he attended in school. Singh learnt a few tricks from the illusionist, which he later performed in front of his classmates at school.
“The reaction from my friends urged me to practise the art more. It became a massive part of my life. There is a Harry Potter phrase that I believe in: ‘The wand chooses the wizard’. It was similar for me. I believe magic chose me,” the 30-year-old magician says.
Mind matters
Popularly known by his stage name ‘Karan Singh Magic’, Singh has a knack for mind-reading unlike traditional magicians whose tricks include sawing a person in half or making moving trains disappear. “If I, as a magician in 2022, get a box and a girl on stage, the audience will already know what is about to happen. It takes away the mystery, which is the essence of magic,” Singh mentions.
He goes beyond the stereotypical image of magicians, who are often decked in a tailcoat and don a top hat. Singh dubs himself as a “psychological illusionist”, and uses a mix of psychology, body language, and magic to uncover the deepest secrets of his audience. “To me, magic is more about the people I am performing for. I feel reading minds is as personal and as magical as it can get,” Singh elaborates.
After performing for Indian celebrities such as Vidya Balan, Jackie Shroff, and Aamir Khan, to name a few, Singh’s fondest memory includes his act in front of Indian cricket team former captain Virat Kohli. “People of all ages are at some level fascinated with magic, but what fascinates them more than anything else is themselves. I merge these two aspects together,” he adds.
A touch of magic
During the first lockdown, Singh performed one-on-one virtual shows for anyone who needed a little magic in their lives. “In May 2020, a couple joined in on one of the shows. They were stuck in different parts of the country. Through a trick, I eventually made the guy ask the girl to marry him. It felt beautiful to have been a part of this. It transcended a regular magic reaction,” he shares.
Talking about the art of illusion being an experience, Singh says, “There are little aspects of lights, sounds, and the overall feel of a live show that adds to the experience. It is not just the trick, it is all of this.” A firm believer that magic is something that should come from within, he concludes, “Be in love with what you do. Magic is an art in itself and if you love it enough, the art-form will love you back.”