His miraculous predictions, influencing thoughts and startling mind reading have had him list of fans stretch from A-list Hollywood celebrities to world leaders and famous business people like Barbra Streisand, Jennifer Lopez, Kim Kardashian, Kanye West, The Jonas brothers, Jamie Foxx, Andrea Bocelli, Gerard Butler, George Clooney and Hillary Clinton.
Suchard, who recently came to India for a performance at The Ambassador, spoke to life about the Indian audiences, his acts and more.
Excerpts:
So how do you like India?
Suchard: I missed India. I wasn't here for a few years. I was travelling and working on many-many projects. I came back after a few years after I did over 80 shows all over India. It's exciting and great to come back.
Do you performing in India?
Suchard: I love it because here people react very nice to the act that I do. So, it's a lot of fun. I love to perform here.
How do you find Indian audience different from other places?
Suchard: There is always a difference, but I adapt myself to different cultures. If I am in India or China, I adapt myself to the culture and it is fun.
What is the best thing about being a mentalist?
Suchard: The ability to make people happy, to show them how amazing the power of the mind is!
And the toughest thing?
Suchard: People think that my job is very easy, but it's not. There is a lot of hard work, lot of dedication, studying and learning. You have to create all the time, you constantly work over a new act.
How difficult it is to come up with a new act every time?
Suchard: It is very difficult. But I think this is what makes you a professional. Over the years, there have been a few people who came in and copied many-many of my acts but I take it as a compliment because people are copying you. It means you're doing a good job. You are doing the right things and you are on the top. For me, it's okay. I love to invent new action and concept to make my audience are happy.
How much time do you often spend inventing an act?
Suchard: I do it all the time. I create all the time.
Mentalist are often confused with magician. How difficult does it get for you to make people understand the difference?
Suchard: I think after I came to India two years ago and did all the shows people started to understand what is a mentalist who uses the power of the mind and not you hands like a magician. Mentalists use language reading or non-verbal communication.
If you haven't even been a mentalist, what would you have been?
Suchard: I think I was meant to be a mentalist. There's no other option.
Any tip for aspiring mentalists?
Suchard: I think what I do is similar to playing a piano. You can learn. But there's a lot of dedication, sacrifice, risks. You have to learn and study and believe in yourself but you have to have something inside you to be very good.
(Puja Gupta can be contacted at puja.g@.in)
( With inputs from IANS )