SOCIALS / PEOPLE - MALAYSIA

Grandma Magi levitates outside Pavilion shopping mall

KUALA LUMPUR: Shoppers at the Pavilion shopping mall gasped at the sight of an elderly woman levitating almost 9m above the ground, with her hand stretching out and her palm sticking to an AXN sign on a pole.

“Is it a statue in mid-air?” asked some onlookers.

Their jaws dropped when the figure dressed in a flowery ensemble and holding an umbrella waved to the crowd below with a cheery smile on Saturday.

“I was relieved when I realised it was actually a magic act,” laughed businesswoman Kuintan Sepawi, 54.

Suspenseful trick: Grandma Magi thrilling spectators outside the Pavilion shopping mall with her gravity-defying magic act.

Her 14-year-old daughter Arina Syafiah could not contain her excitement as she described how amazing it was to see the magic act.

“I have never seen anything like that, not even on TV and, therefore, this was a great opportunity for me,” she smiled.

The suspended “elderly woman” goes by the name of Grandma Magi, one of the many alter egos portrayed by California-born magician and illusionist Cyril Takayama of French-Japanese descent.

Since his teenage years of busking in the streets of Tokyo, the 38-year-old illusionist has made his name internationally with his extraordinary and thrilling magic tricks.

When he was 17, a rich businessman discovered his talent and gave him his own show and he has never looked back since.

Prior to “her” public performance at the mall, Grandma Magi appeared briefly on an Astro entertainment programme and within seconds started sneezing fire through her nose.

High five: Grandma Magi waving to the crowd below her.

Sony Pictures Television vice-president Gregory Ho said the magician was here to promote his Cyril's Family Vacation: Hawaii Edition programme that features “family members” Grandma Magi, Uncle Richard and cousin Tiny.

“The show is set on the island of Oahu, where the audience knows nothing which means everything will be happening spontaneously,” he said, adding that the show would run for six weeks.

From here, Cyril goes to Manila, New Delhi and Mumbai, where he will be spreading his magic to more than 180 million of viewers and fans.

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