“After learning about it, governments of Rajasthan, Odisha, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh too have expressed interest in starting similar courses. Hopefully they will begin soon,” said Samala Venu, a popular illusionist who initiated the launch of the course. His objective: to make magic a serious profession that’s not just seen as a ploy by fake performers to cheat people. “Apart from Telangana, we have had students from these states too who come here to study magic,” he added.
At present, most lessons in magic are limited to online courses or workshops, typically spread over 7 to 10 days. Internationally too, it is often part of a larger stream of study. “It (magic) is part of a cultural studies course taught in a few places,” said author John Zubrzycki, who’s book, Jadoowallahs, Jugglers and Jinns, was released in 2018.