In conversation with India's Merlin

World-renowned magician P.C. Sorcar Jr is the son of one of the greatest magicians in the world— and he has more than lived up to the family legacy. But behind the Merlin award winner who made the Taj Mahal and Victoria Memorial disappear, is a philosopher and a scientist. Having just completed his programme in the Navi Mumbai Magic Festival, Sorcar is now all geared up for his next show which will be taking place at Yashwant Natya Mandir this weekend. In a candid conversation, he speaks about the interweaving of magic and science, the philosophy behind his troop Indrajal and growing up as P.C. Sorcar Sr.’s son.

What was it like growing up in a world of magic? Do you remember when you were first exposed to this side of your father’s life?
Asking me when I was first introduced to magic is like asking a fish when it was first introduced to water. One says that nature and nurture both shape a person. I am a hereditary magician and I was born in magic. I saw my father performing magic tricks all the time, where he would just make things appear and disappear or float above a chair. I used to think that it is just par for the course, until I realised that others think that it is something extraordinary.

How did you come up with the concept for Indrajal?
Indrajal comes from the Hindu mythological concept according to which the entire universe is an illusion. We are only compelled to seek a better future because Lord Indra has pulled us in with his jal or net of illusion. On stage, my troop of 75 artistes and I are trying to achieve the same scale of illusion, using our theatrical devices and, of course, science. You can also say that we are trying to go beyond the five senses or the five indreyas.

So, magic, to you, is science?
Of course, it is. What magic is today, will be science tomorrow; what is science today, was magic yesterday. Take for instance the fact that we often have our hands chopped off and put back together onstage. Now, a skilled surgeon could actually achieve this feat in real life. In the latter scenario, it is applied science. When we use theatrical effects to do the same, you call it magic.

If it is not magic, how do you perform your dibyadrishti or x-ray eyes trick?
I can’t reveal the tricks of the trade (laughs). But I can tell you that it is nothing supernatural, just a trick of presentation. A magician is really an actor playing the role of a magician.

Do you think that with progress in science, the appeal that magic holds for audiences is going down?
I don’t think so. People still like to believe in magic. In magic, we speak about infinite possibilities. Magic is a moving process. Perhaps the first bit of magic man performed was when he struck two stones together and created fire. The appeal that magic holds cannot change—what changes is the storyline for the stage. The more we move forward, the more the storyline changes.

What is the most magical thing you have ever experienced?
I think that India itself is a land of magic. It is a country of impossibilities. That is why, when the British invaded India, and saw the rich fabrics we have, the incredible sceneries, the amazing variety of spices, the types of food, they wanted to conquer it so badly. They realised the magic our country holds that we, as people who are living in it, often overlook.

P. C. Sorcar’s Magic Show will take place from December 2 to 4, 8.30 pm onwards, at Yashwant Natya Mandir, Matunga Road West