Magic runs in his blood. But he is not wizard attired in a robe, with flowy hair and a turban atop his head, for whom impossible is nothing. Mostly wand-yielding, this magician, besides carrying the renowned magical name of his father and his grandfather with the same pride and honour -- is also a musician. He is the third generation PC Sorcar -- PC Sorcar (Master) or Pouroosh. And he is in the city to conjure illusions--along with dance, drama and a generous dose of music.
In a candid chat with City Express, Pouroosh speaks about magic, his magical legacy, his shows and lot more.
Taking the legacy forward
Admitting that he is a musician in a family of magicians, he says it is an honour to be the third generation of the Sorcarian legacy. “Though my grand father, the great PC Sorcar lived a short life, he took India and the art of magic across the globe,” he says. Though a singer, pianist and drummer with a rock music album to his credit, he never felt he should do anything other than magic shows.
“As a youngster I did television shows on stage illusion, then a few on stage shows and before I realised I was conjuring and performing magic trick that my father and his father did,” he says.
Abbracadabra!
Be it as a college student and a novice magician performing simple illusion for a television show or the seasoned jadugar who does escape illusion, Pouroosh has always followed the family tradition in his own way. As part of the PC Sorcar banner, Pouroosh also realised that he needed to evolve his own style to get noticed among the stalwarts of magic world --his father PC Sorcar young and uncle PC Sorcar Jr. This is where technology aided him.
“PC Sorcar is a trademark. So though a century has passed since PC Sorcar enthralled the world with his magical charm, not much has changed in terms of the content of the show. I use the same kind of lighting , try to create similar ambience and even wear the kind of clothes my grand father wore. The only change that has happened is that the show now incorporates technology which I blend with traditions in my show,” explains Pouroosh.
Though Pouroosh resents that the great PC Sorcar passed away even before he was born, he says that everything that he has learnt about magic is from his father--with whom he has been performing in the city as part of their month-long tour of 42 shows at the Hara Hari Kala Bhavan, which ends on January 18.
Calling magic an act that is loved by people all from eight to 80 years of age, Pouroosh says people from all over the world love their shows. “Magic has a universal language and you just have to feel and visualise it. Be it Japan or France everywhere we get tremendous appreciation for our shows,” he quips.
The real test
Pouroosh admits that mistakes do happen. “But that’s where the real magiacian steps in, “ he quips adding as a magician he can not let his audience know of the error and make it appear as if it was part of the show.
Behind all the name and fame, there is a lot of hard work, hours of practice and several tricks, especially stunts that even pose life threats to the magician. “You are put in a coffin, that is nailed and thrown in the sea. You know you will get out of it in just a matter of minutes, but for a fleeting second you do feel sacred, what if something goes wrong and this is the last time you are performing,” he reveals.
So while doing stunts when you are scared? “Darr to lagta hi hai,” he says quickly adding that besides fearing for life there is another fear – “I must not let down the brand PC Sorcar. I have a name to live up to.”
Morale boosters
This magician may have captivated people and left them wide-eyed with his escape illusisons. But Pouroosh rues that he hasn’t been able to get out of the hotel room or the auditorium and take a leisure trip of the city of Nawabs that he is visiting for the second time after 2009.
“It is the worst thing about being a magician,” he says sheepishly and adds that Hyderabadi audience are expressive and even a small act gets a thunderous applause. “This really boosts my morale and that’s why I love performing in this city.”