For his achievements in the art of magic, P C Sorcar (Senior) was known worldwide as `Jadusamrat` or emperor of magic. He was an internationally active magician throughout the 1950s and 1960s, performing his "Indrajal" show before live audiences and on television.
P C Sorcar (Senior) was born on 23rd February 1913 into a middle class family in the small village of Ashekpur in Tangail district presently in Bangladesh. He was attracted to magic at very early age. Ganapati Chakravarti had been the Guru for him. His education began at the local Shibnath High School. While still at school, he started performing in magic shows. However, this did not interfere with his education. In 1929, he passed the Entrance examination in the first division. In 1933 he graduated with honors in Mathematics. After completing his education, he took up magic as a profession. At the age of 58, Sorcar died of a heart attack in Ashaikawa, Hokkaido, Japan, on January 6, 1971. He went to perform there. P C Sorcar (Senior) has been succeded by three sons animator, director, and laserist Manick Sorcar and magicians P.C. Sorcar, Jr. and P.C. Sorcar, Young.
He changed his family surname `Sorcar` into the English word `Sorcerer`, and returned to his family name when he became popular. P C Sorcar (Senior) wore royal robes and a turban for his performances. Among his popular acts were `X-ray eye`, `sawing a human body` and `water of India`.
He impressed Chief Minister AK FAZLUL HUQ, Chief Minister of undivided Bengal (1937-1943) and East Bengal (1954), by performing a magic trick at the Imperial Restaurant in Calcutta. The Chief Minister was asked to write something on a plain sheet of paper and then he asked the other ministers to put their signatures under it. A short while later Fazlul Huq was amazed to see that the paper contained his cabinet`s resignation and the appointment of P C Sorcar (Senior) as the new chief minister of Bengal.
In 1934 P C Sorcar (Senior) (Senior) first went abroad. He subsequently toured about 70 countries, including the United States and the USSR. He earned a great deal of money with his magic shows. His magic performances were repeatedly shown on international television networks. P C Sorcar (Senior) won many prizes for his magic at home and abroad. For best stage magic he twice earned the `Phoenix Award` in the United States. He also won the `German Goldbar` and the `Golden Laurel Garland` awards and the `Dutch Tricks Prize`. In 1964 the Indian government honored him with the "Padmashri". In 1937, P C Sorcar (Senior) donated all the money he had earned in Japan to the cause of the Indian freedom movement.
P C Sorcar (Senior) was a member of the societies of magicians in France, United Kingdom, Germany, Belgium and Japan. He was a member of the International Rotary Club and life member of the Royal Asiatic Society in London. The Calcutta branch of the International Society of Magicians of USA was named after him. A number of well-known writers of Europe have written books on him, the most famous being "Sorcar: Maharaja of Magic".
A Technicolor motion picture has been produced on his magic. The All India Magic Conference published a photographic album on him on his 50th birthday in 1963. A long-playing record on him was released by `His Master`s Voice`. For his achievements in the art of magic he was known worldwide as "Jadusamrat" or emperor of magic.
