Staff writer
MAGiciAN and
illusionist Raj
e s h w a r
Wupradrishta / Wuprisha
(Magician Raj), born and
brought up in Hyderabad
city, Andhra Pradesh, is a
Magician for over two
decades. Raj and his wife
Rama were both working as
teachers in the Maldives,
when in 2005 Tsunami
wreaked havoc - they applied
for immigration and are now
based in Mississauga.
A graduate in commerce,
Diploma in Electro Homeopathy
Medicine and a Post
Graduate in Management and
computer Science, Magician
Raj does not consider magic
an esoteric craft removed
from life. Magician Raj has
enthralled kids and adults
alike. He has done shows for
corporate companies, get-togethers,
product promotions
in show rooms, star hotels,
schools, colleges, etc. He has
done several shows in india
and abroad, and was cited as
an Amazing Magician by
Kannada Sangha, Toronto, in
April 2010.
Raj uses his skill to uplift
emotions, bringing hope,
cheer and happiness to his
audience. He believes that
the aim of magic is mainly to
entertain people, and happiness
is part of entertainment.
He attains happiness from
the “bridge of oneness” he
builds with his spectators.
“Big smiles, amazed looks.
That’s no illusion, simply
wonderful magic.” Magician
Raj talks magic and life encompassing
around it with
Generation Next.
A transition from computer
science to magic –
how did it happen?
i was interested in magic
even before i took computer
science as my profession.
computers is my profession;
magic is my passion.
What do you think of
the magic scene in GTA?
There is a good potential
for magicians in GTA. Magic
is such a medium of entertainment
that it crosses all
barriers. People of all age
and ethnicities can enjoy it
equally. With right talent and
publicity, magicians have a
huge market for performing
at birthday parties, weddings,
corporate events, cultural
events, fundraising programs
etc. in future i plan to drive a
car or ride a motor bike
blindfolded in GTA for a
good cause. i’m looking for
a sponsor/sponsors and permissions
from authorities.
Any particular magicians
you are inspired by?
As a child i was inspired
by a famous indian magician
Shadow (he is also known as
Andhra Sorcar). in fact, it
was after seeing one of his
performances that i became
interested in learning magic.
At the end of his show he
said that magicians decieve
the audience by the sleight of
their hands, they do not have
any special magical powers.
i learnt that magic was an art
coupled with a science and
can be mastered with extreme
patience and practice.
At that moment, i decided
that i would like to become a
magician. i started my practice,
by keenly observing
performing magicians. But, i
did not learn magic under
anyone’s apprenticeship. i
learnt magic on my own
(They call me the Ekalavya
of magic). Other magicians
who inspired me was P.c
Sorcar, K. Lal and Gogia
Pasha.
Would you like to see
your children too as magicians?
i would love to see them
as inheritors of my passion.
However, i am and will be
with them no matter which
fields they choose for themselves.
At present, they are
learning from me and assist
me in most of my shows.
What advice would you
like to give to newcomers
who are interested in this
profession?
canada provides
an opportunity
and a great
place for
n e w
t a l -
ents.
G TA
has a
great market
with great
people. Work
hard, be versatile and
you will definitely be
successful.
What makes a moment
truly “magical”?
it is a point in time
when a person is
transported, even if
only for a fleeting
moment, back to a
place where wonder
and fantasy of childhood
still exists,
when anything and
everything is possible!
When was your first
magic show?
i performed my first
stage show when i was fifteen
and there was no looking
back after that. i was
awarded the title ‘Ekalavya’,
as i did not have a teacher.
Ekalavya is a prodigal archer
in the indian epic Mahabharata.
He became the best
archer of his times by sheer
practice and will power, as
he could not afford to have a
teacher. coming back to my
story, i took a break from
performing stage shows after
a successful career spanning
over a decade, with several
shows, awards and recognitions,
to concentrate on my
studies and to have a traditional
career. With the encouragement
of my family, i
have reignited my passion
with a new zeal.
You’ve also engaged in
social work through magic.
i’m a member of A.P.
Magic circle, who has rendered
social service by performing
a number of shows
in rural india to educate the
people about social evils like
witchcraft and black magic.
i’ve conducted summer and
winter magic camps for
youth for their overall development
and coordination enhancement
with the
Department of culture and
Department of Youth Services.
in fact, i was the first to
use magic as a new medium
of communication in Andhra
Pradesh to popularize the
products of banks under the
program, ‘reaching out to the
villages’. Besides this, i have
also performed at a number
of charity magic shows and
blind fold rallies for earthquake
relief, flood relief and
for fund raising events by
clubs for social causes.
South Asian Generation Next November 1, 2012 interview P-15
I performed my first stage
show when I was fifteen and
there was no looking back after
that. I was awarded the title
‘Ekalavya’, as I did not have a
teacher. Ekalavya is a prodigal
archer in the Indian epic Mahabharata.
He became the best archer
of his times by sheer practice and
will power, as he could not afford
to have a teacher
‘Computers’
a profession;
magic a passion’
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