BENGALURU: Starting off what was one of the most interesting interview calls I have had so far, magician and mentalist Bharath Jayakumar tells me, “I just texted you a video link, but don’t open it yet. Now imagine you are playing pool, except 52 cards are upside down on the table. You strike the ball and it lands on a card. Make a random guess- what card would it be?”. Off the top of my head, I said, “Seven of diamonds”. In his peculiar ‘poker voice’, Bharath says, “Now open the link,”. When I did, it demonstrated the full trick, revealing the card under the ball– a seven of diamonds.
Now, I don’t know about you, but this was enough to spark joy in my grim lockdown schedule. This 20-year-old magician based in Thiruvananthapuram can do the same for you, through his interactive Instagram live magic shows. “That is one good thing that came out of this lockdown. There was this general idea that mentalism can only be done in person. But now I know, the situation doesn’t matter. It is all about how you do it,” he says.
Bharath’s curiosity for magic began when he was a kid. “While most children that age love cartoons, I used to sit and watch legends like David Blaine and Dynamo perform magic.” He started learning magic when he was just seven years old and has been performing stage shows since 2014. Though he tried attending college for a BCom degree, Bharath’s heart wasn’t in it.
Thanks to a supportive family who understands his passion, he decided to drop out and continue the course over correspondence. Just when I was going to say “lucky you”, Bharath tells me how he finished all three levels of magic–basic, intermediate and advanced–when he was just 14. He learnt mentalism after that, an art that involves magic and deep knowledge in human psychology and behaviour. “Ask a man to lift a gas cylinder and he would be too lazy. But ask him to lift his girlfriend, and he would do it right away,” Bharath quips.
Passion and interest is key to learning, he adds. Bharath also started exclusive magic YouTube channel named ‘Mallugic’. The channel features collaborations with magicians from around the country and simple tricks to keep you occupied at home. But is performing virtual magic any different from the regular shows? “There are pros and cons. You can’t make people pick cards, or pull out a disappearing coin from behind their ears, so it is a little less practical. But then, it’s easier to get away with a slip-up,” Bharath says. You can join his live sessions on Instagram through @magicianbharath.