Manoj Kaushal

Manoj Kaushal (born July 9, 1980; Mumbai/Bombay, India) is an Indian illusionist and close-up magician.

Early life

Manoj is the younger of 2 children in a traditional, white collared, suburban Indian family. Born to Maya and Ranbir Kaushal 4 years after birth of sister Saraswati, Manoj’s childhood was spent partially in Mumbai and partially in Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh due to the transferrable nature of his father’s job. He learned at a very young age to adapt to people and reactions in both rural and urban India which are vastly different.

Education

A surprisingly observant child, Manoj was never particularly fond of academics which always seemed the foremost priority thrust upon him. During the time spent in schools in rustic Bhopal, Manoj learned from locals and school-mates the art and science of deftly manipulating a game of cards to his benefit.

At the age of 16, when the family moved back to Bombay after 10 years, Manoj was introduced to a culture craving a departure from the stagnating norms of entertainment. Despite his desire to break away from conventional academics, Manoj persisted with his education and acquired a post-graduate diploma in Business Management.

It was around the completion of his education that he would witness on television the new breed of Magicians & Entertainers.

Introduction To Magic

A showman by nature, Manoj was enthralled by the nimble precision with which upcoming magicians of the time like David Blaine & Criss Angel wowed an audience. Learning levitations, mentalisms, suspensions and more became his life’s purpose. Every rupee he saved, he invested in magic paraphernalia. Every byte of bandwidth he could squeeze from his ancient internet connection, he used to download tutorials on magic.

Manoj spent 2 years learning and perfecting his craft. During this time, his friends and family became his critical audience that he would hold hostage for hours, displaying his newly acquired magic skills. Manoj did not fall prey to the ego demon that most performers with his level of skill succumb to. He approached every magician, amateur and professional with a view to learn, teach, brainstorm and mutually grow. Since teaching is believed to be the best way to learn, Manoj also took the time to coach and train in magic interested amateurs.

Blessed with an eye for colour and design, he took to Graphics & Web Design, his other passion. His popularity as a designer soon rivalled his popularity as the new discovery in Indian street magic and as designing assignments poured in, so did his magic armoury.

Magic career

Although he had performed scores of pro-bono shows for friends and colleagues over the years, Manoj bagged his first paid show in May 2002 for an event organized for Coca-Cola. Among a crowd of 600, Manoj mingled seamlessly as he performed his dazzling close up effects. After this, there was no stopping the flood of offers for corporate events. Currently, the magician performs in over 150 shows annually for clients like HP, IBM, ITC, Motorola, Sahara, Tata, JCB, etc.

Popular Magic Effects

Manoj’s favourite effects, those which have earned him the most adulation aren’t those which require elaborate set-ups and preparation. With a background in the advertising industry, he follows the simple mantra of ‘Simple Hits Hard’. His greatest crowd pullers still remain tricks involving a pair of rubber bands, a pack of cards, a few coins and a hapless volunteer. Saws, Siberian Tigers and Smoke Machines will never find their way into his show.

Close-Up magic that is unquestionable in skill & authenticity remains Manoj’s preference. "“Magic is not miracles, it isn’t meant to con or fleece. Magic is entertainment, it is knowing that someone has done the impossible, through sheer wit, charm & brilliance which is worthy of respect”".

Other Businesses

Manoj’s 2 passions magic & design come together in his successful business venture under the umbrella brand "9780".

9780 design studio

A one-man show, 9780 design studio specializes in dark, edgy, gritty design. A digital artist who loves his works to exude mystery and drama, Manoj feels that every design must tell a story, a story that reveals a new twist every time you look at it.

Through 9780 design studio, Manoj has designed for magicians: Kevin Parker, Adam Grace, Cory Chapman, Peter Loughran and the hugely successful enterprises www.magicshop.co.uk and www.ellusionist.com.

9780 Clothing - Magicwear

In late 2007, inspired by the popularity and success of 9780 design studio, and on an insistence from his fellow magicians, Manoj launched the 9780 Clothing - Magicwear.

Catering to a niche’ audience of Magicians worldwide, 9780 Clothing - Magicwear features custom designs by Manoj. These esoteric designs have soared in popularity in the Magic fraternity that until then had lost out to famous rockstars in the bid to get their message on T-shirts.

ources

* http://manojkaushal.com/index.html
* http://www.myspace.com/manojkaushal
* http://amol-v-naik.blogspot.com/2006/05/magic-man-stylish-and-creative-web.html
* http://www.xanga.com/magicmormon

External links

* Manoj Kaushal’s Official Website
* Manoj Kaushal’s–9780 design studio
* Manoj Kaushal’s–9780 Clothing - Magicwear