Berlin magician brings happiness at classroom

Joyful gesture: German magician, Franz Balazs (second left) serves pieces of cake in the magic classroom.

Thiruvananthapuram: Thick cloud of grief prevailed at the Magic Academy in the morning yesterday, as it was only hours before, the beloved Kamala Suraiya was laid to rest at the Palayam Juma Masjid. A ray of happiness was regained only when 31-year-old Franz Balazs, a newly joined magic student from Berlin lit a pair of candles carved out in the shape of '13'.

Mr. Balazs could not desist from cutting a birthday cake for the Academy that has just crossed 13 years of its existence. The Executive Director of the Academy, Gopinath Muthukad and the Director, R. Raja Moorthy puffed at and put out the burning candles. An ardent fan of Indian magic, the Berlin magician then served pieces of cakes to his magic teachers, classmates and the Academy staff.

Mr. Balazs is a qualified product of a German Gymnasium school. For the last 9 years, he is settled at Cairo as a demanded Diving Instructor. The Magic bug bit him at the age of 9 when he got a box containing easy-to do magic tricks from a local shop. He was fallen in love with Indian magic 8 years ago during his first visit to the land of Indrajal. Thanks to the legendary tales of Indian Rope Trick. His passion and obsession for Indian magic has finally made him a student at the Academy. Now he learns higher ranges of sleights of hand tricks from Mr. Moorthy. His is the second visit to India.

On 31st of May, he was at the anniversary celebrations of the Academy, watching the ‘World of Illusions’ magic show presented by Mr. Muthukad and team at Tagore Theatre here. He still is under the influence of that enchanting two hours. “It was an amazing, world class show” he says. He is now in search of Indian styles in magic and dreams of a day when the great Indian Rope Trick unfurls before his bare eyes.