For Lals, the show must go on

Family wants to fulfil his dream of setting up a training centre in state

With the demise of renowned magician Kantilal Girdharilal Vora, his seven-year-old great-grandson is all set to carry forward the legacy while son Harshad Vora, also known as junior K Lal (62), plans to fulfil his last wish of setting up an academy to train magicians in the state.

Also, taking inspiration from his father, who had always believed that "the show must go on", Harshad wants to complete his father's latest innovation, an act on which Lal was working on for quite some time now. More than 75 per cent of this act being completed, it will be soon launched before the audience.

"My father always wanted to set up an academy in Gujarat. He believed that this is the only way by which he can make this art survive and carry forward to coming generations. He had also expressed his desire to the state government which has positively responded to it. I will fulfil his dream of saving this art from getting extinct in this technological revolution," said junior K Lal. He started performing with his father at an age of 28.

Talking about carrying his father's legacy forward, Harshad said the family plans to prepare his grandson, Vihaan Vora to take K Lal's place. "The family sees so much similarity in K Lal and Vihaan. Like my father, Vihaan is also inclined towards this art at an age of seven. When asked what he wants to be in future, Vihaan would promptly say — a magician like his great-grandfather. He had been learning tricks from him as well," added junior K Lal.

He was the one who through his acts of illusion became so popular among his audience. Among his most talked about acts, making the famous Taj Mahal disappear from its place was the one. But unfortunately, due to religious sentiments attached to the place, he could not get permission for performing this act and had to drop the idea.

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