Interview: Nakul Shenoy on magic, mentalism, debunking pseudoscience, and more

“The issue isn’t whether people doubt you; it’s when they start believing you,” says Nakul Shenoy, Bengaluru-based magician and mentalist.

Bengaluru-based mentalist and magician Nakul Shenoy has mesmerised audiences ranging from corporate elites to cultural icons including Pandit Hariprasad Chaurasia. Yet, last week, he stepped into a realm far more challenging than any grand stage: a classroom of sceptical high schoolers at Suburban Higher Secondary School during the Kovai Bookalatta Children’s Literary Festival in Coimbatore.

“Kids are the toughest audience because they call you out if they think you’re doing something tricky. Unlike adults, who might just suspect you put something in your pocket, kids will shout it out, putting pressure on you,” he says. Despite this, a forest of hands shot up when he asked who wanted to be a magician.

For Nakul, this moment was particularly poignant. He became a magician (and later, a mentalist) after watching a magic show by the renowned Prof. Shankar in Udupi. Now, standing before a room of potential young magicians, the circle felt complete.

From a five-year-old draping a bath towel like a cape and casting imaginary spells, inspired by his comic book hero, Mandrake, Nakul has transformed into one of India’s leading mentalists and magicians. He has delivered high-impact, mind-reading experiences across Asia, the Middle East, Europe, UK, and the USA. With 10 TEDx Talks and numerous television appearances to his credit, Nakul has solidified his reputation as a master of illusion and perception.

He talks to The Hindu about magic, mentalism, pseudoscience, godmen, and more.

Excerpted interview:-