He’s just too good. That’s if you count that he’s produced the whole thing himself and hosts it too. Enter Derek O’Brien, quizmaster of the scintillating Bournvita Quiz Contest. Ask him why he thinks the show’s doing so well, and he’ll say ’’people are inquisitive, they want to learn, they want excitement.’’ He couldn’t have said it better. And he couldn’t have made it better either.
Oh, and how do I know all this? Well, I’ve met him not once but twice, and I took part in the quiz too. I’ve seen what goes on behind the sets, and its simply superb. But how about the quiz?
The quiz is simply put, brilliant. Questions need not require cramming of encyclopaedias or thesaruses, what they demand is a smattering of knowledge and a pinch of logic. They even manage to keep not just the participants, but the audience glued to the edge of their seats. For example- ’ Who was titled Admiral of the Atlantic Ocean in 1492?’ Take a guess. 1492 was when America was discovered, . Who sailed westwards to discover it? Christopher Columbus! Correct!
The round structuring is well layered. There are three levels involving four teams. At the end of round one, the team with the highest score leaves to return in level three to battle it out with whomever of the remaining three defeats two others in level two and makes it to level three. The quizzing is intense, Derek O’Brien plucks your heart out of your chest and plants it in your mouth with his tactful announcement of right and wrong. Rounds are just too good. High speed, on the buzzer, identifying distorted images, mixed bag, doubling, identifying music, risking negative marking, and everything possible in the land of questions and smart answers finds room in the excitement in the All Asia Bournvita Quiz Contest. Situations can swing in anyone’s favour in a split second. Practically everything is put to the test, whether it be your discretion, recovery, perseverance, determination, intuition, teamwork, logic and last of all general knowledge.
It isn’t a surprise that such precise and well moulded question layouts have found their way into ten GK books, and everytime while preparing for a local quiz, I peruse through these. No doubt, they always come up in the quiz. (Obviously the quizmaster’s had a go at the books too)These books, mind you (I’m talking to the martians who haven’t heard of them) they sell like hotcakes, and are out of this world. Go grab a copy.
And like a garnish to the sumptuous, thick and delicious soup, the episodes are shot with beautiful, mesmerising locales gracing the backgrounds. On last count, were Kerala, Sri Lanka, and now Kolkatta. There’s a lot of information about this places sprinkled in too. Cool man! Just like the climate of these places too.
In each quiz you get the best of the best that the country as to offer battling out on the buzzer, brain and backlash, which includes even nondescript towns and famous metropolitan school’s students. For participants, it’s a great opportunity to make friends from all across the country. The TV show thus portrays peoples from across the country, and sometimes even Indian schools abroad!
All in all, this is one of the best, most well organised, original, educational, and thoroughly gripping serial ever to honour television with its presence. It’s already found itself a niche in history books by running a good twenty years ruling the charts. The Bournvita Quiz Contest rocks!
So what are you sitting on the net for? Do yourself a favour at 1030, Sunday mornings on Sony. Get informed. Get enjoyment. Get quizzed. Get thrilled.
And most importantly, get those horizons of your mind widening with this magnificent show! Pronto!