Madhubala, who passed away on 23 February 1969, at
the age of 36, was an Indian film actress who appeared in Hindi films. She was
active between 1942 and 1964. Known for her beauty, personality, and sensitive
portrayals of tragic women, she was also known as The Beauty With Tragedy and
The Venus Queen of Indian Cinema. Her comparison with Hollywood actress Marilyn
Monroe earned her the name Marilyn Monroe of Bollywood.
P.
C. Sorcar was the stage name of the
Indian magician, Protul Chandra Sorcar, born on 23 February 1913. Sorcar was an internationally active magician throughout the
1950s and 1960s, performing his Indrajal show before live audiences and on television.
The original family name was "Sarcar", but was changed to Sorcar to
more closely match the word "Sorcery."
Sorcar’s publicity design was
relentless and steeped in Indianness. His extravagant magic shows began with a
ritualistic drawing of a mandala pattern on stage and lighting of an oil lamp
before the portrait for Goddess Durga. Dressed as the Rajput royalty, Sorcar
presented his magic tricks.
He was the master of grand stage acts
like the famous “Water of India” where an earthen pot would always be filled
with water up to the brim. Sorcar would throw away the water from time to time
and yet the pot would be filled to the brim. His X-Ray vision, drum illusion
and the floating lady took him to higher echelons of fame.
Sorcar died of a
heart attack at the age of 57 in Ashaikawa, HokkaidÅ, Japan, where he was
performing.
Sir Alexander Fleming, who passed away on 11 March 1955, aged 73, in London, England, was a Scottish physician and microbiologist. He sh...
