VIDEO

48 Singaporean Seconds: Locked in a crate with a 6-foot python? No problem for Iron Will

Singapore celebrates its 48th birthday on Aug 9, and to tie in with this, The Straits Times Picture Desk has put together 48 Singaporean Seconds, an audio-visual tribute to Singaporeans who have made this little red dot their home.

We will be releasing their stories and videos in the next few weeks. We kick off with escape artist Iron Will.

Iron Will, 30, escape artist

IRON Will, whose real name is Mohammad Hairmiwilly Mohamed Kamal, is touted as Singapore's first ever professional escape artist.

Nicknamed "The Houdini of Asia" by magazines and newspapers, the 30-year-old began his career in 2005.

His first gig was in fact on Aug 9 that year - as a tribute to freedom and independence.

Never one to shy away from all kinds of restraints and challenges, he has made jaws drop with an array of death-defying stunts.

They include escaping from a locked crate with a six-foot python, evading throttling chainsaws, and being shackled to a hut set on fire.

He's got a brain for business, too: He holds a degree in business management, with a major in entrepreneurship, from the Singapore Institute of Management. But he has made a successful career out of performance.

He has shown off his stunts in corporate events and concerts in countries like Malaysia, Japan and the United Arab Emirates, averaging 10 to 15 shows a month.

This year, eight National Days after his first professional performance, he attempts to shatter his previous personal record of 59 seconds for escaping a straitjacket. Can he do it within 48 seconds?

Watch the video to find out if he nails it.

Photos and videos by The Straits Times Picture Desk

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