India’s mystery is its magic

[bholas]

Franz Harary, who has won many accolades for his captivating optical illusions, is the celebrity judge on Cadbury Gems Indias Magic Star on STAR One .

Although Harary was critical of the performances earlier on the show because of the lack of originality, he feels that the show has reached a point where things are going to get exciting. He attributes this to the fact that the participants are finally getting the hang of being original. In the first of a two-part series Harary mentions the beauty of India, the mystery about the nation and the potential of some of the participants to become stars.
Who do you think will win the contest?
As a judge, it would not be ethical of me to tell you who would win. But I can say this: the viewer who touches the audience the most will win the competition. As a viewer, you’ll get a sense of who connects to the audience better. Its the case with all reality shows. Once that is established, you have your winner
Do you have a favourite contestant?
Yes I do (laughs), but if I reveal it as a judge, it wouldnt be fair to the other participants. However, I’ll say this: Suraj has more talent and s**** than any of the magicians in India combined; Tejas is a natural star. He could drop magic tomorrow and could become a Bollywood actor. He has that star quality in him; Uday has been doing magic longer than I have, he is a professional, but traditional. There is nothing wrong with being traditional, but will it help him win a contemporary content? I dont know. He loves his magic and you don’t know what to expect from him, which is what makes this exciting. He could come from nowhere and win this contest
Is there any trick that you remember that stands out?
There was this trick where Suraj produced a bird from rice. It was quite a good trick. It sounds simple, but I had never seen anything like it before.

How do you think Indians have progressed in the world of magic?
Indian magic has been stagnant for a long time. Now, thanks to this show, Indian magic has a chance of being the greatest in the world again. India started magic, but then new magic became popular. Right now, when you think Indian magic, you think the rope trick and the basket trick. Now, finally, there is new thinking happening in the form of Tejas and Suraj. What they are doing is this: they say that if we have to be the best in the world, then we have to be original in our Indian magic tricks. It took a long time for it to happen, but its finally happening on the show. Now looking at these guys, other magicians from India will say, Hey, we can do our own thing by being original. We can create our magic i.e. Indian magic. I think that Indian magic is coming back now and Im excited to witness it. We are in a transition point for Indian magic, where right now, everything is changing.
What else have you seen in India apart from the magic?
Thats a good question. I came to India to show the people my magic, and now I’ve been here for two months. Thats the longest I’ve spent anywhere outside home. In these two months, I have discovered that the magic in India is not about the stage and the performances; its about people like you. India has such a culturally diverse history, which is so magical and no laws of magic will be able to explain it to me. India is a spectacular enigma. When you first arrive here as a foreigner, you wonder how nothing falls apart? Its like a clock moving backwards. And when you start spending time here, you realise that there is a rhythm here. I am just starting to recognize it and appreciate it. The most beautiful thing about the place is how happy the people are. Whether I am in Delhi, or Mumbai, or in some remote village, the people I have spoken to are always happy. They are happier than I will ever hope to be. They are happier than my friends in Hollywood and despite whatever hardships they endure, they are happy. That is something admirable. That is the real magic of this place. Today, I am not that interested in showing my magic to India, as compared to showing the magic of India to the rest of the world.
Did you know so much about India before coming here?
(Laughs) I thought I did, but I was wrong. For everything I thought I knew, there were 10 layers that explained it to me in more depth. I see India rule the world in 50 years. You have the thinking; you have the co-operation and you have the manpower. Earlier, Americans thought that India was just another place in the world map, but thats just shallow thinking by them, but take it from me: 10 years down the line, India will be a tech hub. Also, after the release of Slumdog Millionaire, Indian culture has gained popularity in the west.
And after living here, Ive discovered that you can never define India. Its like defining a colour like orange or red. Its just so indefinable and thats the magic of the place
Which of the IMS participants has the potential and appeal to go international?
I could take Tejas and Suraj and put them in Vegas tomorrow, because along with having the s**** and talent, they are excellent communicators.

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