As magician Pouroosh Sorcar takes the stage, he turns into an actor, dancer, humourist — all at once — amid cheer from the audience. Joining him on stage is his father P C Sorcar Young known as ‘The Leonardo da Vinci of India’ with his popular tricks.
In a chat with City Express, Pouroosh reminisces the days of his grandfather’s monopoly in the world of magic. “Back in the 60s, it was just one name, P C Sorcar, who became quite a phenomenon in Europe. Film releases would be rescheduled whenever P C Sorcar was in town,” says Pouroosh.
He notes how P C Sorcar’s death in 1971 paved the way for future magicians. Along with it came his next generation, he adds.
Carrying forward the Sorcarian legacy, Pouroosh reveals he has a tough job in hand. While innovating to keep up with the demands of commercialisation, he has to be careful not to lose the traditional touch. “As the main attraction of our show still remains our tradition, I cannot afford to ignore the fact that we are in 2014. Everyone will ask what’s new about your show,” he says.
According to Pouroosh, there is never a scope of failure for a magician.
“You can be a bad singer or a bad dancer at times. But you can’t afford to fail when you are a magician. That would be the end of you.” Things do go wrong on stage sometimes, he agrees. “That’s where the true test of a magician lies. How well one is able to camouflage the glitches and come out of the situation, is what defines the true character of a magician,” he says. “We have to rehearse a lot,” he adds. Pouroosh, along with his father P C Sorcar young and his team are doing 51 shows in Chennai this time. It is tiresome, he says.
So how does he maintain his physical and mental stamina? Regular exercise and some music are some secrets says Pouroosh, who is also a musician. Like his multi-talented father he is an accomplished pianist, drummer and singer.
Time management, he emphasises, is the most important thing in life. However, he believes in a different version of it. “A journalist friend once told me that you will have both good and bad times. How well you are able to manage your bad ones is all that matters,” he says.
“Chennai is a sacred place for me. By God’s grace, every time I come here, I get what I ask for.” He discloses his plans of doing something special for the city this time.
As a tribute to his grandfather for his 101st birth anniversary, Pouroosh and his team is gearing up to perform the ‘Water Escape Illusion’ act that will be peformed at the Marina beach, probably in June or July.
“I will be inside a chained box and thrown into the sea from a helicopter, from which I have to escape. It will be telecast live on television,” says Pouroosh, who is well-known for his escape acts.