About Ugesh Sarcar

The young kohl-eyed, curly-haired Ugesh Sarcar loves mystery and to 'shock' people, literally. He can fly and even walk on walls a la Spiderman. He can read your mind and your thoughts are imprinted on his body, he floats in the air and makes disappearing acts look like child's play. All this, on the streets, caught on candid camera, complete with the jaw dropping reactions of the people who have been subjected to his 'charms'.

One of India's first street magicians to make it big on the small screen, Sarcar has been in the profession for the past four years. His show, 3rd Degree on UTV's Bindass, is already making big news. An illusionist, he defies every possible law of logic - conjuring mystery - casting a spell on ordinary people in shopping malls, restaurants and on the streets. A hoax or sheer genius? We tried to unravel the mystery behind this young sensation.

Born and brought up in Bangalore, Ugesh, like his dad, was introduced to magic at a very early age. Reveals Ugesh, "It's been our family business since ages. I wouldn't say I always wanted to be a magician, but I wanted to be 'different' from others. Academics never really interested me. So, pursuing magic was the only way out. And as they say, the rest is history." No amount of coaxing could yield his father's name, nor his age, so we let it pass.

But Ugesh claims he still practises his tricks for about 16 – 18 hours everyday. Says the magician, "You need as much dedication as talent."

Standing out from the rest wasn't an easy job. "Although there are still hundreds of magicians in India, except for a few like PC Sorcar Jr, none really stand out. The era of great stage performers has faded to a large extent in our country compared to the past. Except for a few renowned magicians, not many have taken the initiative to improvise and come out with new performances to captivate today's generation. The solution lies in presentation and innovation. It is not what you do but how you do it."