The audience gasps. Akshay Laxman smiles. As a performer, it has been one of his favourite reactions since his first performance over 20 years ago.
A renowned illusionist, he is in Chennai for a charity show. The magic, he says, has already begun.
You’ve brought your art to Chennai multiple times. What keeps you coming back?
The audience, for sure. They are intellectual. I do my show in the name of mathematics and science. So, they enjoy it on an intellectual plane. For them, this is like a local Disneyland.
Well, they seem ready to be taken for a crazy ride.
Laughs . There is a Clark Kent in every one. They want to see a Superman of themselves on stage. That’s where I come in.
You started being a mentalist at a time when no one in India really knew what that meant. How has your art evolved over the years?
Over the years, I’ve understood that in my art, reactions should be heard rather than seen. Many times, people believe silence is the mark of death for a show.
But if the silence is in your control, then it could be a fabulous thing. It’s all about your confidence.
How much does your personality factor in?
100 per cent. Four years ago, when I was on India’s Got Talent , Karan Johar said something about my act that still sticks with me today.
He said, “ Aapko aapke art ki zaroorat bilkul nahi hai. Aap stage me ho, yeh kaafi hai .” (“You do not need your art. All you have got to do is be on stage.”)
Is charm necessary for an illusionist? After all, the audience has to trust you from the word go.
I like to go on stage and completely surrender to the audience – at least, I make it look like that. That way, the audience surrenders to the show and lets the guard down.
What keeps you going after all these years?
The beauty of my job is that each time I am on stage, I have a new person to interact with. The audience doesn’t know what is going to happen. But here is the secret: neither do I.
