BANGALORE: Nakul Shenoy is a psychic entertainer and a ‘mentalist’, one among only four in the country today. He is popular among companies like Apple, Microsoft and Wipro for his show ‘Beyond Magic’ in which he reads and manipulates minds. He is a guest faculty at the Academy of Magical Sciences, Thiruvananthapuram. Having done several corporate shows, Shenoy soon plans to tour across the country to do public shows. Expresso catches up with the mentalist.
Some call you a mentalist others a magician. Professionally you are known as an entertainer. What do you like being called?
I am a mind reader. That is something everybody can relate to and that is what I prefer being called. Someone who can read, project and transmit a person’s thought process is what I do.
How did it all begin?
It began when I was much younger — when I was about five years old. I was inspired by Mandrake the magician. He played an important role in my life. I started dressing up like him as a kid. From the age of 15 to 20 I did standard magic shows with a group of 20 odd people. I was into creating illusions. Then with time I realised I wanted to do something else. Something what Mandrake would do in front of a large audience without using props. I wanted to do hypnosis. So I trained in hypnotism. I then decided that I wanted to be someone who influences people and reads their mind.
Do you believe you have super powers or is this purely based on psychology?
I do not have any super power. I am a normal person. I read people’s minds only through body gestures, emotions, expressions, situations and so on. And I tell them what they are thinking. Yes, it is based on psychology, but I am not a trained psychologist.
Tell us more about Beyond Magic.
Ten years ago when I was disillusioned about what I was doing, I decided to become a psychic entertainer or a mentalist as it is professionally known. I wanted to incorporate the purest form of standard magic. I learnt how to approach the audience. Then I started doing corporate magic shows called Beyond Magic. It’s more real. It’s telling somebody what he is thinking.
Have you been criticised or called eccentric? If yes, how do you deal with it?
I am very clear about what I do. I do not have super powers and I have made that fact very clear. I have honed these skills over the years. Yes, people do react differently. People test me on rational thinking. Try to question me and what I do, but that does not disturb me. I tell them I am just an entertainer.
How does your family react to this?
As I initially took it up, they thought it is a passing fad. While being supportive of course, they did not think I would take it up professionally. As a child I would run away from stage. So they definitely did not expect me to entertain a huge audience. But they are fine with it though it still somehow surprises them.
How do you react when people come to you asking for help?
There are a lot of doctors who ask me to cure people. But I am no expert. My knowledge is limited to entertainment and that’s all I use it for. There are some corporates who have asked me to come and sit during their recruitment sessions and choose the best candidate for the job, based on his body language. I never do that, because I don’t want to ruin a man’s chance at a job.
What are you looking ahead to do?
I have been a corporate entertainer for 10 years now. So far I have done only one exclusive public show. Now I am looking ahead to do more public shows and be accessible to public. I would be touring across twenty five cities in the country doing shows.
sachie@expresssbuzz.com