Candid Communication:“Illusions with a Purpose: P. C. Sorcar Jr. on Truth, Art, and Heritage”

You’ve performed in nearly every corner of the globe. How does magic transcend language barriers to bring diverse cultures together?

I can tell from your question that you have a misconception about magic. People don’t listen to magic like music. They don’t watch it like a movie or a play. They don’t eat it like food. They don’t even touch it. Magic is something you witness. They witness the unreal taking a real form, the impossible becoming possible. For this, no language is needed. It’s above language.

For example, what was the first magic in the world? When humans started becoming educated, even before Homo erectus, they saw the sun rise in the east, go overhead, and then set, bringing darkness. Many explanations arose, like the sun being angry. We offered food and prayers, saying, “Please come back, please come back”.

A “translator” or mediator then said, “Yes, he is pleased and will return tomorrow”. In this way, we’ve misled people by bringing science into religion. By “we,” I don’t mean you and me, but our society and human civilization. But when people finally understood, the Poet Laureate (Rabindranath Tagore) wrote a poem titled The Magician. But we haven’t kept track of it. Did you know that Rabindranath Tagore wrote a poem called The Magician?

No, I am not aware about this.

Why not? My point to society is that if we wear blinkers like a horse and only look straight ahead without looking to the sides, we haven’t truly seen or known society. Anyway, the Poet Laureate says in the first line of his poem The Magician: “Whatever happens is bound to happen; but if what didn’t happen occurs, that is magic”. So, you’ve got your answer.

What is the relation between Science and Magic?

I have an act where I perform blindfolded. I have someone from the audience come up and seal my eyes shut. Then, I can still see, draw pictures, or solve equations, that’s a different matter. But for that, you don’t need language. If I mislead people by saying it’s a “divine power,” then my intentions aren’t good. Or, if I say I’ve invented a special tablet that allows me to see while blindfolded, and I “take” it all depends on the purpose for which the magic or art is being used. That defines its quality. Whether it’s fraud, a religious affair, or a scientific phenomenon, and so on.

My argument is: science today was magic yesterday. By that same formula: magic today could become science tomorrow. Take the mobile phone you’re using right now to talk, connect with me, take photos, or memorize things, whatever you do with it. Just 20 years ago, this was unreal. It was featured in Star Wars as a “stunt”; a person talking to another through a mobile device with no physical connection. Back then, it was magic; it was science fiction. But now, we can’t live without it. That’s the idea.

Your father, P.C. Sorcar Senior, was a global icon. What is the single most important piece of advice he gave you that you still use before the curtains rise today?

To give me birth, my life is your gift, you are blessed, O Lord. If my father hadn’t given me birth and sent me to work, I would be worthless. Life is created for a reason. No science, art, or religion has been able to explain what that reason is. Our sages asked, “Who are you?” There is no answer. If I ask you now to prove that you, are you, you can’t. Then comes “why”, why are you here? For what reason? Where did you come from, and where are you going? There is no answer. Therefore, this unanswered reality that we claim to be awake to, that we are consciously awake to this…

So, why would I want to prove it? I am enjoying my dream, and you are enjoying yours. When the dream ends, we will realize that we were both just sleeping. The one who has woken up is the “Buddha” the awakened one. When he woke up, he said, “I have seen it all”. What did he see? He saw that everything is a dream. Everything is “Maya” (illusion).

You once made a movie, Gili Gili Ge. It was a good film, people enjoyed it a lot. Why haven’t we seen another one since then?

Because telling fairy tales in today’s society is considered satirical. In our society, in this world, not just in India, perhaps a Cinderella will never be born again. Snow White has become “dirty”. There is such a struggle for survival based on reality in people’s minds that fairy tales…

Again, I wrote another poem: “My life passed by just trying to eat and survive. When will I see a dream? My life passed by turning a novel into a play. When will magic happen?”

Therefore, there is a great lack of magic. Reality is so harsh that even after getting an education, there’s no guarantee that I’ll have the ability to earn my food or find shelter. Nowhere, I’m not just talking about West Bengal, but everywhere.

You and your father Sr. P C Sorcar have a longstanding relation with Social Work, if you can throw some light on it?

I have immense respect for initiatives that carry a strong social meaning and purpose, especially those guided by principles that shape humanity. I believe certain fundamental values act as the true tests of human civilization. The question, “Is it the truth?” has always deeply resonated with me.

As an artist of the “unreal,” I specialize in presenting illusion as reality—whether it’s making a girl float in the air, making a train disappear, or escaping from a locked box thrown into the sea. This is my art, my way of life. Yet, art itself cannot survive without a deeper sense of meaning. If I paint a rose or a princess, it remains just an image—you cannot touch it, feel its fragrance, or truly experience it. There are no thorns to prick you, no essence to captivate a bee. That is why truth—Satyameva Jayate (Truth alone triumphs)—holds such profound importance for me.

My father was deeply committed to causes that had a meaningful social impact. His dedication went beyond routine—he lived those values. Even during his performances, he would find time to attend important social gatherings, ensuring his presence and contribution without disrupting his work. His commitment was quiet yet unwavering.

When my father passed away in Japan, the first tribute that honored him came from a community that shared his values and vision. That moment reflected the life he had lived—one rooted in connection, purpose, and social responsibility. I feel proud to have inherited that legacy and to be associated with causes that carry forward such meaningful impact.

If I had the time, I could share countless stories of his passion. He would collect symbols and memories from his travels—each representing a connection, a shared purpose, a social bond. He even dedicated an entire space in our home to preserve those memories, and they still stand as a testament to his life’s work.

I am also deeply honored that his workplace has now been recognized as a heritage space, a tribute to his contributions and the values he stood for. I truly believe he would have been happy to see this—and perhaps, wherever he is, he still is.

How will we get to see P.C. Sorcar again?

Perhaps the “disappearing” of P.C. Sorcar, that will be the last magic. And when there is a re-appearance of P.C. Sorcar, you can ask him when he appears.

I’ll let it be a surprise

NEWS MANIA dESK