No matter how sceptical we get with age. our fascination for magic never wears off. It is for this reason that names like Hoodini and David Copperfield never fall to fill us with awe and wonder. How did he do It ? —is the constant question after watching remarkable acts like elevated women, objects that float on air or steel kntves that go through bodies without spilling a drop of blood. For 21-year-old Subrata Biswas It is this wonderful world of magic that has captured his heart and made him contemplate to taking up magic as a profession.

Subrata, an Honours student of Accountancy at B M College In Barisal. has performed both at home and abroad and has already made his mark as a talented magician. He has performed

in several SAARC magic festivals. Including one in Calcutta in 1988 and another in 1993 In Delhi. He has also attended a conference on magic in Singapore to exchange views with other foreign magicians. Apart from performing regularly In Barisal. Subrata has done shows at Shl-shu Academy. Shilpa Kala Academy and appeared on BTV about four times.

His acts include The Floating Lady' where he elevates a woman off a table and keeps her In midair: 'Illusion box' where he is handcuffed. put in a sack and into a locked box and out of which he emerges within one minute: a tongue separation act in which he severs the tongue, Of a hypnotised woman: and The floating

zombie' where a

round ball floats up and down in the air all by itself.

In addition to this. SUbrata has also started a unique project in his hometown Barisal. "I find that most children in our country do not like to study and so I want to develop a project to give teachers basic lessons in magic so that they can Incorporate them into their regular teaching methods," says Subrata. This will create a greater interest amongst children to leam." he adds.

With this objective in mind Subrata has established his own Jadu Academy in 1988 which haft so far about 10 students. They include school teachers and doctors who can use their magic tricks to cheer up their patients and make them more cooperative.

Subrata's Interest In magic started when he saw an a advertisement In a Bangla daily, announcing Jewel Aich's incredible performances. From then on Subrata began to read as many books on magic as he could get hold on and got his first initiation through a boy called Shaheen In Barisal In 1980, Subrata then only 7 years old performed his first show

at a Bigyan Mela (Science Fair) in Barisal. Since then he has became a performer and an avid student of magic with Jewel Aich and David Copperfield as role modala.

Subrata who Is a member of the International Brotherhood of Magicians the world's biggest organisation for magicians, says that magic is a superb science, a phenomenon that is one step ahead of conventional science. "Many people who perform magic claim to have supernatural powers, to those I would like to say that if they can prove it I will give them one lakh taka," says Subrata. Magic, according to him. is an art that requires concentration, practice and extensive studying.

Subrata admits however, that taking up magic professionally is not very easy in this

country. Apart from I the obvious financial I limitations, magi-I clans have very few I resources to ' learn ■ the art. "ImBangla-I desh we do not have I a fixed place to pra-I ctise or a library I where we can learn I more on the sub-Iject," says Subrata. I Most magicians in I Bangladesh, therefo-I re can do only con-Iventlonal magic tri-I cks that are not eno-I ugh to allow them to I participate in inter-rnational contests.

I Another problem I that serious magi-I clans like Subrata | face is getting a visa I to go to various in-I lernatlonal conven-I sions where new lideas’can be ob-| tained. "In the last I few years”, say Sub-I rata, many Bangla-jdeshi magicians I have gone to the |IBM- conventions "and not come back.

so now embassies have stopped giving

us visas". Subrata has been asked to participate in this year's IBM convention where he will be able to compete with hundreds of magicians from all over the world.

He hopes that the embassy concerned will grant him the visa. Subrata is also busy making plans for the future. He wishes to finish his Masters and then go abroad to study magic. After this he wishes to come back to Bangladesh and become a professional magician. "Most magicians in Bangladesh, says Subrata, try to copy Jewel Alch. I would like to offer something new." Subrata says he wants to introduce comedy into his acts so that people will take more Interest in his performance.

In the meantime. Subrata has two tricks up his sleeves that he promises, will make his mark in the realm of magic. One of them is the "Buriganga Escape Illusion" a kind of Hoodini act where Subrata will be locked in a box. be immersed into the Buriganga from which he will come out in 5 seconds. As for the second act It Is to make BiJoy Sharani and the Sangsad Bhaban disappear for one entire day I Now. if that's not magic, what is ?