I use magic to educate people on science: PC Sorcar Junior

After travelling across the globe in a career spanning over 45 years, the 70-year-old magician is set to perform in Mumbai this week. The “Bengal ka jadugar”, as he is fondly called, spoke to HT about his tricks, family and more.

During his Japan tour, at the end of a show, magician PC Sorcar Sr declared that it would be his last, “but the show must go on”. Later during the day, he had a heart attack and died. It was 1971. The same year, his son PC Sorcar Jr donned his father’s costumes and continued to spread the magic. After travelling across the globe in a career spanning over 45 years, the 70-year-old magician is set to perform in Mumbai this week. The “Bengal ka jadugar”, as he is fondly called, spoke to HT about his tricks, family and more.

Magic is about understanding and using science to entertain the audience, says the magician. (HT photo)

Most people associate “magic” with witchcraft. What kind of magic do you do?

That is one of the perceptions that I am trying to break. Magic is about understanding and using science to entertain the audience. In an act, I present a circumstance and respond to it exactly the opposite of how people expect me to. For example, if I bring in a chair on stage, the audience would expect me to sit on it but I would rather float directly above it.

Was that one of the first tricks that you had learnt?

I grew up in an environment of magic. I would see my father float above the chair instead of sitting on it. I thought that was normal so later when I went to a friend’s place and saw his father actually sit on a chair, I was surprised.

Where do you get the ideas for your tricks from?

Mostly from children (laughs). They have the best imagination. Once a boy came up to me and asked me what would happen if I hit his friend with a hammer on the head. When I asked what he thought would happen, the boy said that the friend would become a dwarf, and I used that idea for one of my performances.

When and where

Date and time: November 25-29 at 8.45 pm.

November 27 (Sunday) at 11.30 am and 4.30 pm.

Venue: Vishnudas Bhave Hall, Vashi.

Ticket: Rs 300 onwards

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