Well-known magician and ventriloquist, R. Indushree, has set her eyes on entering the Guinness Book of World Records through her performance with a 10 feet doll — a feat she claims none of her counterparts across the world has achieved.
Giving a performance to the media with the doll, which resembles mythological character “ mahishasura ”, a demon who was killed by Goddess Chamundeswari, Ms. Indushree said she had already sent her entry to the Guinness authorities and was awaiting their response.
The magician claimed she was the only woman ventriloquist to have used a doll of this size. “I am sure this venture of mine will earn a slot in the record book,” said Ms. Indushree, who has more than 3,000 shows to her credit in the last 15 years.
Ms. Indushree said she conceptualised the idea of using Mahishasura when she was invited to present a show during the recent Dasara festivities at Mysore.
“It took lot of hard work to prepare a script and practice. As the doll is huge, I have to strain my vocal chords a lot,” she said.
“Normally magicians and ventriloquists use dolls ranging between 40 to 42 inches. Use of bigger ones casts huge pressure on the shoulders, besides the vocal chords,” Ms. Indushree said.
The young ventriloquist says she performs in Hindi and English, besides Kannada.
Ms. Indushree’s father, Ravindra Konnur, a draftsman with Central Power Research Institute and the ‘architect’ of the dolls, says he has made four dolls with which she would perform simultaneously in future.
“While the movements of two dolls will be controlled by hand, the other two are done by the feet,” he said.
Ms. Indushree, believed to be India’s first ever woman ventriloquist, is an excellent raconteur and uses current affairs as a peg in her dialogues in which she is assisted by Ramanath, a close associate of the family, who scripts it.
She already has etched her name in the Limca Book of Records and her performances have been telecast by a private television channel.
“It is very difficult to practise with this massive doll, as neighbours and onlookers flock to my residence. I have to wait till dark to do so,” she said.
However, the Mahishasura doll performance was meant only for creating the record and there were no plans to continue shows for the public, she added.
