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. Sorcar, who is all set to perfrom in Mumbai, speaks about magic, science, mythology and more.C.C.

One says that nature and nurture both shape a person.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. People still like to believe in magic.What is the most magical thing you have ever experienced?I think that India itself is a land of magic.P. 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. You can also say that we are trying to go beyond the five senses or the five indreyas. In a candid conversation, he speaks about the interweaving of magic and science, the philosophy behind his troop Indrajal and growing up as P. In magic, we speak about infinite possibilities. They realised the magic our country holds that we, as people who are living in it, often overlook.

Do you think that with progress in science, the appeal that magic holds for audiences is going down?I don’t think so.’s son. It is a country of impossibilities. When we use theatrical effects to do the same, you call it magic.So, magic, to you, is science?Of course, it is. Magic is a moving process.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. We are only compelled to seek a better future because Lord Indra has pulled us in with his jal or net of illusion. I am a hereditary magician and I was born in magic. 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.30 pm onwards, at Yashwant Natya Mandir, Matunga Road West. Now, a skilled surgeon could actually achieve Kettlebell with Rubber this feat in real life. In the latter scenario, it is applied science.

A magician is really an actor playing the role of a magician. C.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. The more we move forward, the more the storyline changes. Sorcar Sr. Take for instance the fact that we often have our hands chopped off and put back together onstage. I saw my father performing magic tricks all the time, where he would just make things appear and disappear or float above a chair. Perhaps the first bit of magic man performed was when he struck two stones together and created fire. I used to think that it is just par for the course, until I realised that others think that it is something extraordinary. Sorcar is now all geared up for his next show which will be taking place at Yashwant Natya Mandir this weekend.Renowned magician P. The appeal that magic holds cannot change—what changes is the storyline for the stage.C. But behind the Merlin award winner who made the Taj Mahal and Victoria Memorial disappear, is a philosopher and a scientist. World-renowned magician P. 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. What magic is today, will be science tomorrow; what is science today, was magic yesterday. Sorcar’s Magic Show will take place from December 2 to 4, 8