KARACHI – Thirteen-year-old Ali Masood can levitate himself and other objects, move his head down to his stomach, predict your chosen card, bend metal objects, turn the computer mouse into a real mouse, and twist his arm up to 360 degrees.
He can also do the coin matrix and perform tricks with cards and cigarettes, but he has never taken any guidance from anyone and learnt all the tricks on his own. In an interview with Pakistan Today, Masood said that all of his magic tricks are illusions, which he has mastered using his creativity and abilities for pleasing his inner self.
Cyril Takayama’s sleight of hand and Criss Angel’s teleporting, escape routines and illusions are his favourite tricks. “I would like to try them out in my own style within the parameters of my own surroundings.” Masood does not regard any local magician or illusionist of having the capacity to perform impressive tricks, which is the reason why he opts for 100 percent originality in his tricks, managing them with a limited number of props.
“My tricks do not overlap, and appear different every time I perform.”
However, he also loves to read about snakes, wants to do wildlife photography, become a computer engineer, and would like to participate in a magic show in India. “I want to make it my profession.” Masood has so far performed at only private gatherings and not taken part in any contest at any level, yet he believes that he can outperform any illusionist in the country since he is not an unskilled illusionist himself.
“I aspire to take part in international illusion contests, but my limitations – age, low-profile, being less equipped – are impeding me in being known as the youngest illusionist of Pakistan.” His utmost desire is to escape in front of a live crowd, and he claims that he knows how to do it, but has not gotten any chance of performing it yet.
He said that his skills are appreciated by his classmates, though he was blamed for distracting them with his tricks during school hours; however, his teachers also now appreciate his talent. “I have a great opportunity of performing on the Sports Day at my school this summer when some 2,000 people would be in attendance. I have been assigned by the school administration to perform my best tricks at the event.”
Masood said that he would be happier if he was given a chance to perform before or at the end of the National Games. He loves to see people’s surprised faces when he performs his tricks. He himself prepares the props for his tricks that are quite expensive, so he has to limit them; however, some sort of financial support from the private or public sectors could help support and promote his talent and skills.
“I have heard that there is only one shop in Karachi that deals with magic tricks and equipment for illusions. One cannot expect much to come from this sphere in these circumstances,” Masood said. Another trick that he would like to perform is making an elephant fly in the air. “However, I would need a huge sum of money to prepare for that act.”
