Columbian ‘Wheel of Death’ artiste, Jhean Carlos and Nepalese ‘loose rope’ artiste Jenny Gautam, who defy death with every performance at the Rambo Circus, found love in the interlude—and live a life of togetherness, laughter and joyous submission to God’s own supreme plan
Mention ‘power couples’, and you conjure up visions of those who have made it big in the corporate world; who, through their entrepreneurial or professional skills have become leaders; who have earned the luxury of a rich lifestyle, own highend cars, work in beautiful spaces with classy interiors; who are impeccably attired, suited to the occasion, and travel business class. Materialistic convenience is an integral part of their lives, and they have well-charted present and future plans for themselves and their families. They are part of that privileged fraternity which is heard by the government before it carves out its budget, year after year.
Undoubtedly, India is studded with such power couples that represent the successful side of the nation’s economy, who have defined the economic and lifestyle status for thousands and thousands of young professionals. Corporate Citizen through its Dynamic Duo series has been covering remarkable stories of togetherness, work-life balance and values that keep such couples together and provide inspiration to young corporate managers.
For a change, Corporate Citizen this time features a unique couple fitting the bill of Dynamic Duo, but come from outside the conventional corporate world. Thirty-year-old Jhean Carlos, hailing from Columbia, South America and 24-year-old Jenny Gautam from Nepal are death-defying artistes of the Rambo Circus – stars of their own accord. Carlos’ tryst with the ‘Wheel of Death’ and Jenny’s loose rope act (slac kwire walking—she dances to the tune of Bollywood numbers on it) twice a day, for two daily shows, stun the audience. In the course of these nail-biting stunts, they fell in love with each other, challenging language and cultural barriers. They spoke candidly about their love affair, their marriage, their new baby and life in the circus, shorn off its glamour (thanks to television), but which for them is the only genuine showbiz world. Carlos spoke in broken English, while Jenny, in Nepali Hindi.
‘THERE IS TOO MUCH TENSION AND HATRED IN THE WORLD. PEOPLE WANT TO CHEAT AND SNATCH AWAY THINGS. SO LOVE IS MISSING. WE, IN THIS CIRCUS, ONLY GIVE, GIVE AND GIVE TO OTHERS AND ARE ALWAYS READY TO HELP EACH OTHER’
Generally, I walk into palatial bungalows or apartments to meet a Dynamic Duo couple. This time, I entered a large barren public ground in Pune, hired by the Rambo Circus. It was noon, the heat was scorching and there was stillness in the air on the hot, dry ground. The huge tent was a dusty brown, awaiting the sunset when the lights would glow and make the place bright and glimmering. I walked through the large Iron Gate and was escorted in by a staff member. I went through the circus tent—the largest one in Asia, 235 ft in diameter and 60 ft in height. Empty chairs —2000 of them – were lined in circular rows dotted by several huge air conditioners – waiting for the audience to walk in, in a few hours. At the centre was the ‘Wheel of Death’ machine, 50 ft in height—the star attraction of the circus and our ‘star’ of the story.
I was taken to the rear side of the circus tent, where the stark reality of circus life hits you hard. Studded with cloth tents—110 of them—the uneven ground was strewn with plastic litter, despite the fact that 400 trucks of garbage and construction material had been flattened by a battery of JCBs. Pesticides had been amply used to kill and drive away the mosquitoes. Through the openings of the tents you could see artistes going through the daily rigmarole of washing, cleaning, cooking and relaxing.
My escort pointed out to a white coloured house—what looked more like a caravan without wheels. Painted in stark white, it was made of wood—and was all of 18 ft by 6 ft. It looked cute, with a door bell in place. A tall, well built and handsome guy was seated outside, repairing a device. An elaborate and intricately etched tattoo popped out from the sides of his sports vest; his head was fully shorn of hair. Meet Jhean Carlos, the superstar of Rambo Circus: the death-defying acrobat of the ‘Wheel of Death.’
He ushered me into the 18 ft by 6 ft house – it seemed like a magnified doll’s house, aesthetically studded with photo frames and other decor. The house comprised a living room-cum-kitchenette cum baby’s room-cum-guest room; a master bedroom, with heart shaped pillows and cosy blankets neatly placed around a TV, an air conditioner, and a ceiling fan. Then, there was a near perfect bathroom, with a western w/c. My first impression was that, in this little fairy-tale house, Carlos and Jenny lived life kingsize! Another observation – there was positivity, happiness and laughter aplenty, marking the disposition of its star inhabitants. Once you sat inside the house, you did not feel the paucity of space – in fact, you felt the warmth of a nice home.
His beautiful wife, Jenny Gautam, a Nepalese and the female Star of the Circus, who has also participated in TV shows like ‘India’s got talent’ and ‘Entertainment ke liye kuch bhi karega’ looks very demure and petite – in contrast to when she does a death-defying balancing dance act on the ‘loose walk rope’ and receives thunderous applause. The couple have recently been blessed with a beautiful baby girl who they have named Sharon.
The love story of this Dynamic Duo revolves around two golden hearts almost making you remember the famous Boyzone number ‘… it’s only words and words are all I have, to take your heart away…’
It also reminds me of a quote by legendary Marathi littérateur, Kusumagraj who said, “Love is the essence of the human civilization, the conclusion of our history and the sole hope for tomorrow.’’
In order to understand their death-defying acrobatics, particularly by Carlos, it would be relevant here to describe what the feats are all about and how this ‘Dynamic Duo’ faces the challenge day after day, but make it looks so easy, as entertainers.
The first image that comes to one’s mind when you mention ‘circus’ is that of a clown, trademarked by Bollywood’s legendary star, Raj Kapoor in the movie ‘Mera Naam Joker’. However, it is the acrobats and stunt artists who make the reputation of any circus, as well as serve as magnets to bring in the audience.
In the Rambo Circus, Carlos is the Superstar, for he maneuvers through the deadly ‘Wheel of Death’ like an agile Spiderman; only, unlike him, he wears a charismatic smile throughout the show, making you feel it is a cakewalk. He stuns the audience with his acrobatic swerves and captures their hearts by interacting with them through gestures while displaying his daredevilry. To understand what exactly he is doing, we need to understand the concept of the ‘Wheel of Death’ which has its origins in American circuses as far back as the 1930s.
THE WHEEL OF DEATH IS A LARGE ROTATING APPARATUS, MADE OF IRON, ON WHICH TWO PERFORMERS CARRY OUT SYNCHRONISED ACROBATIC SKILLS AT EITHER END. THE TWO WHEELS ARE ACTUALLY LARGE SPACE FRAME BEAMS, CONNECTED WITH HOOPED TRACKS, WITHIN WHICH THE PERFORMERS CAN STAND. AS THE PERFORMERS RUN AROUND ON EITHER INSIDE OR OUTSIDE THE HOOPS, THE WHOLE APPARATUS ROTATES
The Wheel of Death is a large rotating apparatus, made of iron, on which two performers carry out synchronised acrobatic skills at either end. The two wheels are actually large space frame beams, connected with hooped tracks, within which the performers can stand. As the performers run around on either the inside or outside the hoops, the whole apparatus rotates.
His wife, Jenny is a slackwire or loose rope artiste. The audience applause is thunderous when she dances delicately on this rope to the tune of ‘Dhoom Tana Dhoom Tana’ from the film ‘Om Shanti Om’. Although her flexi-rope is barely four feet high, the fact is, one slip could mean grievous injury. Surely, it is a less dangerous feat than Carlos’s but it is in the delicate balancing and movements that makes it equally daring.
Loose rope walking is a type of wire or rope walking where the support is flexible or ‘slack’.
The tension on the wire or rope is mainly provided by the weight of the performer and their props. The difference in technique required to maintain balance on a slack wire is that the performer moves the wire under his or her centre of mass. The flexibility of the wire or rope allows the performer to achieve this.
There are strict rules in Rambo Circus to ensure discipline when it comes to interaction between the two sexes. Hence, romance is taboo, to a large extent.
So when Carlos arrived in India, straight into the Rambo Circus premises in 2013, he was anyway too busy to indulge in any affair. His first job was to get the ‘Wheel of Death’ constructed to his specifications through Sujith, who had hired him for the purpose. With an expenditure of around Rs.3 lakh, it was put in place, but says Sujith, “It became very heavy as here in India we used solid iron, as against abroad, where they insert aluminum inside. Thus, due to its weight, once the wheel was set in rotation, it became difficult to bring it to a halt. We had to use counter weights to slow down the movement through improvisation and innovation. Finally, we brought it to international standards.’’
Carlos, who had gained expertise in this death-defying act at his previous circus, became an instant celebrity overnight. He became the crowning glory of Rambo Circus and much ink has flown on his feat and many a camera man has captured this heart-stopping act of valour and entertainment.
Rambo Circus was established by P T Dilip in 1991 – it was a merger of three circuses earlier owned by him - the Erina Circus, the Great Oriental Circus and Victoria Circus. Now, his sons Sujith and Sumit Dilip are trying to bring in innovation to an entertainment industry that is losing its sheen.
The innovations introduced by them include a custom-made, fire-proof Italian tent; bringing international artistes like Jhean Carlos; experimenting with the upgradation of canvas tents into caravan-like homes; and making the largest movable circus tent in Asia, measuring 235 feet in diameter and 60 ft in height.
Rambo Circus is a member of the World Circus Federation, Monte Carlo, Monaco and has represented the country in the World Circus Day Celebration, 2011 at Monte Carlo and showcased Indian circus history through a documentary. Film shoots like Luck By Chance, Mujse Dosti Karoge, TV shows like Comedy Circus and many advertisements and music albums have been shot at Rambo Circus.Sujith Dilip speaks to Corporate Citizen on the trying job of running a circus in the entertainment industry.
He said he loved Jenny and wanted to marry her. I understood as I would often see him clicking photographs only during her show. However, I told him that he would have to go by the Indian culture. He had to take her parents’ permission if he wanted to marry her - Sujit Dilip Owner, Rambo Circus
“We need a minimum of 3.5 acres to install our circus town, but find it difficult to get public grounds, as open spaces are shrinking in the cities. We are unable to hire private grounds due to their exorbitant rent. While we get municipal corporation grounds for Rs.1,000 per day, grounds belonging to private persons cost Rs.1 lakh per day or more. Recently, citing a National Green Tribunal (NGT) verdict, the Rambo Circus was denied a public space in Pune.” Sujith argues that the NGT order was for permanent structures but the Pune Municipal Corporation did not budge. So, now the Rambo Circus has been shifted to another location.
“When we get the public ground, it is often in a much neglected state. The present ground at Sanghvi in Pune, which is of four acres, was filled with plastic litter, construction material and mosquitoes. We had to use several JCBs and pesticide sprays. We had to pour 400 trucks of mud and use several water tankers to level the ground. This cost us around Rs.3.5 lakh. During storms and rains, the circus town becomes vulnerable to breakages and people and animals too can get injured. In countries like the USA, public grounds are given along with water supply, electricity and they are well maintained. In India, we have to undertake excruciating effort to make the ground liveable and worthy for shows.”
“We need 45 trucks and three trailers to move the circus from one town to another. The two new types of caravan-like homes made for our star performers like Jhean Carlos requires an entire truck, the rental being Rs.45,000 for that truck alone.
While people in the cities come to see our shows during the holidays those in the rural areas come only if there have been good rains. Hence, we always wait for the summer to get over before we shift from a city to a rural town. The mood of the villagers depends upon the South West monsoons. If the rains come in time, they are in a rejoicing mood after they sow the seeds. Then, we know that they will spend money on entertainment and will throng the circus. The pain and suffering of the farmer in times of drought is very much our pain too.”
“Although we take good care of our animals – 12 dogs, four elephants and four horses -- and despite procuring all permissions (we have two cupboards filled with documents pertaining to permissions by various authorities for our animals) we are always under the radar of NGOs. They will file a complaint to the authorities without bothering to read the documents which are with us. After capturing our animals, the government does not question what happens to them. One of our animals was just left to die. Instead of that why can’t they be more pragmatic in their approach and let the animals be under our care?”
“With the help of its wings, a bird flies higher and higher in the skies. With the help of its fins, a fish swims across the endless oceans. Wings for a bird and fins for a fish act as their keys to success, which helps them triumph the blue skies or oceans!
Similarly, circus artists also need such a key for their success! And this key is their equipment. Yes, the artists need the latest equipment in order to entertain people more and more. Indian circus artists are in no way inferior to international circus artists in terms of their courage, determination or hard-work. It is the lack of the latest modern equipment that keeps them behind. They need high quality products to help them improve their performance. We therefore request you to sponsor our wonderful artists so that they can show their talent to the world.”
As for Jenny, she was leading a sedate life in a small town in Nepal where her father worked as a driver. However, one of her sister works in Rambo Circus as a trapeze artist. As a teenager, Jenny got curious about her sister’s workplace and decided to try her luck there. Says she coyly, “I came here out of curiosity and when I saw artistes performing feats, I too decided to try out. Soon I realised it was very hard work. Besides rehearsing, I also had to carry out routine duties. However, I enjoyed the pulsating act and balances on the loose rope walk. Only once, my hand was injured. Otherwise, despite it being challenging, I enjoy every bit of it.’’
However, someone else, besides herself and the audience was also enjoying her performance. Each time she walked the loose rope, Carlos would sit amidst the audience, clicking her photographs, in action. She says, “I didn’t think much of it. I thought it was a passion someone had, for photography.’’
Says Carlos, “Earlier, I too didn’t look at her as a special person. I only thought she was beautiful. But as days passed by, I realised that my heart was growing fonder for her. So one day I decided to ask one of the girls for her mobile number.’’ He says he was rudely denied the number as the girl said that the company (meaning the circus management) did not encourage any dialogue between girls and boys. Says he, “I said, okay baba, but the yearning to tell her my mind, loomed large in me.’’ Finally, the girl took pity on him, as he kept making the request often, and shared her mobile number with him.
However, what about the language? He knew broken English and pure Spanish and she only knew Nepali Hindi. Says he hilariously, “The first time, when I spoke to her on the phone, she only kept laughing. She said nothing.’’ This happened several times, he says. Finally, they took to WhatsApp and Facebook in a big way.
Says Jenny demurely, “We didn’t know each other’s language but I understood when he said ‘I love you’, but I was very scared.’’ Slowly, she dropped her inhibitions. When asked where else had he dated her, she interrupts, “This circus is our life. We do not go out of this world. We are not permitted to. So, we dated here only, secretly, mostly by cell phone.’’
An impatient Carlos wanted to have her as his wife and so one day told Sujith that he wanted to meet him. Sujith understood when he said it was something personal. Says Sujith, “He said he loved Jenny and wanted to marry her. I understood as I would often see him clicking photographs only during her show. However, I told him that he would have to go by the Indian culture. He had to take her parents’ permission if he wanted to marry her.’’
Carlos agreed, and so Jenny’s parents came down from Nepal. They were apprehensive as he was a foreigner and asked Sujith whether he could vouchsafe for him 100 percent. Sujith replied, “I cannot vouchsafe for anyone even if he is an Indian but although this guy is a foreigner, he is an orphan and is looking out for true love. So I think he could be loyal to your daughter.’’
THERE WAS POSITIVITY, HAPPINESS AND LAUGHTER APLENTY, MARKING THE DISPOSITION OF ITS STAR INHABITANTS. ONCE YOU SAT INSIDE THE HOUSE, YOU DID NOT FEEL THE PAUCITY OF SPACE – IN FACT, YOU FELT THE WARMTH OF A NICE HOME
Thus, history was to be made, as it would be the first-ever marriage ceremony at the Rambo Circus. However, there were many hurdles to be crossed. Elaborates Jenny, “When my parents agreed to the match, I was very happy. However, because both of us belonged to different countries, we were not getting permission to get married. I am thankful to the pastors who intervened and made this happen.’’
Adds Sujith, “Actually it was a case of ‘absence making the heart grow fonder’ that made the marriage happen so fast. Although Carlos was courting Jenny, he decided to make a trip to his circus family home in Columbia. However, within three to four days of going there, he called me up and said he wanted to come back here. He was sobbing over the phone. I asked him why was he crying and why did he want to come back. He confessed that he was madly in love with Jenny and he must get her forever. He could not live without her.’’
Finally, on May 25, 2014, Rambo Circus premises turned into a wedding venue and received great media attention. Like a celebrity couple, their pictures got splashed in various newspapers and magazines all over India and even overseas.
Jenny was dressed in a long white flowing bridal gown and makeup, aided by her artiste friends of the circus. Carlos was dressed in his formal suit, helped by the male artists of the circus. It was a happy occasion, under the arc lights, where they usually performed their acrobatic feats. The honeymoon which was spent in the little white house, soon gave way to their daily routine. However, they got themselves the most wonderful first wedding anniversary gift with the arrival of little Sharon.
Says Carlos, “In my country, Columbia, there is no such discipline in the circus. Girls and boys go out together, even nights out, and when the girl becomes pregnant, the boy-friend deserts her. I don’t like that – my father died very young and my mother abandoned me as a child, so I know how important it is for a child to have parents. I was seriously in love with Jenny so I am very happy today that I have a beautiful wife and now a beautiful baby. God has given me everything.’’
Adds Jenny, “He is very nice. See, how he has decorated this house. These were just blank walls painted white—he has made them come alive. He just loves to do that – he is so creative. He is also very nice and helpful. He is an all rounder – good in plumbing, electrical fittings, electronic repairs – you name it and he knows how to do it. He has given much more than I ever expected.’’
So, what is it that Carlos particularly likes about Jenny? Putting his hand to his heart, he says proudly, “She has a golden heart. Many girls are very beautiful but not all have a heart as beautiful as Jenny’s. I am blessed.’’
So, which language do they talk in now? Says Carlos, “She has learnt a bit of Spanish,’’ and then urges her to have a conversation in Spanish. She does that coyly and with relative ease.
Sometimes you find gloom, distress and negativity in grand and swanky homes, but here in this midget home, there seems to be so much of warmth, laughter and happiness. I asked Carlos the reason. He said, “We enjoy everything, the struggle as well as the success.’’ Is n’t this a valid tip for young corporate managers?
He tells more. Says he, “There is too much tension and hatred in the world. People want to cheat and snatch away things. So love is missing. We, in this circus, only give, give and give to others and are always ready to help each other.’’
For Carlos, who seems to have conquered life in all its brightness and gaiety, it is the tough experience in the circus since he was an eight year old boy, that helped him grow positively. Like the proverbial ‘when the going gets tough, the tough get going,’ Carlos relives some heart-tugging childhood experiences.
He narrates, “When I was two years old, my father died. Thereafter, my mother looked after me for sometime but then abandoned me. My father’s sister took me to her house to bring me up but she too said she had no resources to look after me anymore. So, at the age of seven years, I took to the road. I slept on the roadside. As I walked, I found a small circus by the roadside. It was called ‘Circo de Osos Rusos.’ My father and grandfather were both circus artistes, so I found the environment familiar. There I used to run errands for almost everyone. I helped everyone happily and with a smile so they named me ‘Lucesitas’ meaning the one who brings brightness.” Soon he became an all rounder boy. He narrates. “For the next four to five years, I repaired anything that was out of order; I helped the Music Master in recording songs, I was put in charge of the light system, I learnt to train horses and became the Horse Ring Master. I left that circus when I was 12 years old.’’
Carlos then joined the Circo Royal. There the owner asked him whether he knew how to train lions. Says Carlos, with a twinkle in his eyes, “I said, yes, yes, of course I know. The owner was relieved and told me that there were three lion cubs which were resting as their trainer had left. He asked me to start the training immediately. I was totally shocked, and with fear filled in my heart and in my brain, I was benumbed. I requested him to give me a couple of days as I was tired after the journey.’’
‘THE CIRCUS IS MY ONLY LIFE. THERE IS NO OTHER LIFE. WHEN I GO BACK HOME TO COLUMBIA, I GO BACK TO MY CIRCUS FAMILY WHO LOOKED AFTER ME SINCE I WAS A CHILD. NO CIRCUS, NO LIFE.’
For Carlos, it was a case of survival and he kept contemplating. Says he, “Every time God comes to my help. I have no knowledge about anything but it comes to me, whenever I desired it, so this time too I prayed to God. I calmly took command, though I suffered many injuries from these three lion cubs. I love animals too much, so there was no question of using a whip. I got an idea. I tied a chicken to the end of a long stick and dangled it like a carrot in front of the lion. Then I would take it in a straight line away from it. It would sense food and start walking towards it. Similarly when I moved the stick with the bait with in a curved fashion, it would jump up to grab it. That’s how I trained each one of them and commenced the show within a few weeks. Thus, by the age of 14 years, I was an accomplished lion ring master.’’
Thereafter, Columbia brought in stringent laws against the use of any kind of animals in circuses and that seemed to put a halt to Carlos’s career.
However, he took part in international circus shows that were held in countries like Germany, Japan, China and so on. Thereafter, he worked in Kaos, Vegas Circus in Resort World, Philippines, Le Cirque in Brazil and thereafter in the Magic Circus, Samoa.
Says Sujith, “We had a tie up with Magic Circus, Samoa where we used to exchange artistes. That is how Carlos and Manuel (partner in the Wheel of Death show) came to Rambo Circus and that’s how we started the ‘Wheel of Death’ show.’’
Carlos today is an internationally acclaimed acrobat for the deadly ‘Wheel of Death’ show. Says Sujith, “He needs a partner, so initially there was Manuel. After he left, there was Kevin. Thereafter, he has been training some young Indian acrobats, but once one such trainee was thrown off the Wheel, falling from a height of 60 feet. The MRI scan showed that he did not suffer any fracture, but he was in a state of psychological shock and took a long time to recover from it. Sometimes Carlos gets upset that Indian artistes do not have the strength and stamina for such a show, but I ask him to be patient as most of them are first generation artistes.’’
Says Carlos on his tryst with India, “I had not even heard the name of this country. When I was asked to go to India, I was totally blank. I was asked to google and then found the country which had Taj Mahal. I saw some videos on YouTube and Discovery Channel and became familiar with the country. I said okay, and landed straight at the Rambo Circus which in 2013 was located in Pimpri.’’
The biggest stumbling block for Carlos was the food. Says he, “Indian food is so spicy that I had too much trouble with my stomach. So I requested Sujith to provide me with a kitchenette, gas cylinder and utensils. He did so and I cook Columbian food which is bland compared to Indian food. I am much better now.’’ Jenny has learnt to cook this cuisine too.
Don’t they get bored of this vagabond life? Answers Carlos spiritedly, “The circus is my only life. There is no other life. When I go back home to Columbia, I go back to my circus family who looked after me since I was a child. No circus, no life.’’
By Vinita Deshmukh
