As a five-year-old, Tarun Khemnani assisted his father, the late Purushottam Das Khemnani, on stage. Now, the 22-year-old has got a number of tricks up his sleeve, quite literally. “My father wanted me to do magic that no one had ever seen before, and I aim to meet that criteria with every trick I invent,” he says.
While the fascination for magic started young, with his close association to the craft, it was further fuelled by the superhero comics he read extensively. Tarun thought that their superpowers were magical in their own way too, and so, started inventing tricks and cooking up creative concepts by himself.
Over the years, he has performed for all kinds of audiences: from small birthday parties, to extravagant corporate events, to stage shows. Of course, there was his appearance on television’s India’s Got Talent , which gave him visibility, credibility, and a platform to showcase his skill.
In the city tomorrow for Hocus Pocus , a show by Rajasthan Cosmo Club Platinum and Lifecell, he says he can’t wait to perform some new ideas and concepts that he has specially created for the event. “It’s going to be my biggest show here till date. Magic is for everyone, and I would love to have people of all ages there.”
As participation is key to one of his favourite acts, he also wants an audience who won’t mind taking a risk and getting on stage. “Mind reading isn’t new, but I like to do it differently. I call a couple on stage, and try to connect to one of them through the other,” he says.
It sounds deceptively simple. “All I do is touch one of them on, say, the tip of their nose. And their partner — be it spouse, boyfriend or girlfriend — feels a bit of pain on the exact same spot. In a way, it reinforces the bond that they share with each other,” he elaborates.
Puzzles of the mind are among Tarun’s favourite acts. The Rubik’s cube in particular, is a soft spot. “The current world record for solving it is 4.73 seconds. In my next show, I plan to solve it within a single second,” he claims. “But, of course, it wouldn’t count,” he laughs. “Because I’ll do it with magic!”
Tarun Khemnani will perform at Museum Theatre, Egmore, tomorrow at 2.30 pm, 5 pm and 7 pm. For tickets at ₹300 and ₹500, log on to bookmyshow.com or eventjini.com. 9884124500
