Magician Maneka Sorcar's world of illusions

Magician Maneka Sorcar grew up with a lion as a pet. In some part, it makes her the woman she is today! She talks to us about inspiration, teenage angst and escaping from an onstage fireball.

The first woman to take up the 'family business', the 33-year-old daughter of P C Sorcar Jr doesn't take her legacy lightly-she's the ninth generation of magicians-and determined to make a name, on her own terms.

What's the best thing about magic?
For me, it's that I am living my dream. For the spectator, a magic show is wish fulfilment-a fairy tale or science fiction fantasy on stage. I see many families in my audience. People bring their kids along to relive their first brush with magic.

When did magic become reality for you?
Growing up, I was like a fish living in water-only when taken out of it do you miss it. Magic is in our blood, even my cat was a magician! I became aware of a life without it only through friends who do not belong to this circle. My first memories of magic are of everyday events. I wasn't joking when I called my cat a magician earlier-it was a seven-foot-long African Serengeti lion! It was humungous and my first pet and that's how life was in our house.

Maneka Sorcar

On stage, is your dad boss or co-worker?
Convincing him that I wanted to become a magician was my biggest challenge. He is my guru. His skill is at another level, a higher plane. I consider it an honour that he has gifted me with his 'secrets'. It was only in my pre-teens that the hard work, sweat and blood that go into mounting a production of this scale and expense dawned on me. I started appreciating my father then.

Have you ever felt real danger?
Some tricks are made to look dangerous and many are actually so. My first public performance was born of teenage angst- I wanted to prove myself to the world. It was a trick that has burnt magicians alive.

Has an audience ever refused to believe in your magic?
Seeing me onstage is almost a paradigm shift because they are used to a man holding centre stage. Women are skimpily clad assistants, to be cut in half. When I started out, and sometimes even now, I can feel a resistance as I come on. I just punch through these boundaries.

365 days, 200 shows, a global stage. What drives you?
Because I want to. It isn't easy and we do fall prey to Murphy's law. But when things go right, they will-that's Maneka's.