Do you know your Dev Patel from your Riz Ahmed? Or your Nitin Sawhney from your Anoushka Shankar? Read on and find out…
By Suman Bhuchar
BEFORE the mince pieces have been consumed and the mulled wine is finished, acv has created this festive quiz for you to test your wits against family and friends and astound them with your ‘culture vulture’ credentials.
It’s been a difficult year for arts for all of us, so this quiz is a little shorter but team acv hope you still enjoy this festive fare and here’s looking forward to 2021.
Note: ACV contributors and family members cannot take part in this quiz…. (psst, some clues are in the pictures and you can search the site, though some might see this as cheating…)
Film
1. Which Asian actor appeared in the film Sound of Metal as a drummer who is suffering from hearing loss?
a) Jimi Mistry
b) Riz Ahmed
c) Hamza Haq
d) Mikaal Zulfikar
e) Amir El-Masry
Correct answer – b) Riz Ahmed For a bonus point name the character he plays in the film…Reuben Stone
2. Which British film has been nominated for seven British Indepdent Film Awards?
a) Rocks
b) Mogul Mowgli
c) The Reason I Jump
d) Saint Maud
e) The Father
Correct answer – b) Mogul Mowgli For a bonus seven points, can you name the categories & just consider yourself a winner and pat yourself on the back if you can name all the people in those categories…(Best Screenplay, BassamTariq/Riz Ahmed); Best Actor (Riz Ahmed); Debut Screenwriter (Riz Ahmed with Bassam Tariq); Best Cinematography (Annika Sumerson); Best Supporting Actor (Alyy Khan); Best Music (Paul Corley); Best Sound (Paul Davies, Robert Farr, Nigel Albermaniche & Ian Morgan).
3. White Riot is a film that tells the story of which protest movement?
a) MeToo
b) Black Lives Matter
c) Rock Against Racism
d) Extinction Rebellion
e) World Earth Day Correct answer- c) Rock Against Racism For a bonus point can you name the director…Rubika Shah
4. Who played the role of Apu in Satyajit Ray’s film, ‘Apur Sansar’ (‘The World of Apu’ 1959)?
a) Subrata Mitra
b) Sanjeev Kumar
c) Chhabi Biswas
d) Uttam Kumar
e) Soumitra Chatterjee
Correct answer e) Soumitra Chatterjee For a bonus point how many of Ray’s films did this actor appear in? 14
5. Who directed the short film, ‘Stray Dogs Come Out at Night’ that was part of the BFI London Film Festival short films Secret & Lies Strand?
a) Aleem Khan
b) Humza Bangash
c) Mina Husain
d) Dawinder Bansal
e) Hardeep Pandhal Correct answer: b) Humza Bangash
Film (International)
1. From which venue did Riz Ahmed perform his concert, ‘The Long Goodbye’ live stream edition?
a) Wilton’s Music Hall, London
b) The Bridgewater Hall, Manchester
c) The Great American Music Hall, San Francisco
d) Royal Festival Hall, London
e) Home, Manchester
Correct answer: C) The Great American Music Hall, San Francisco For a bonus point, please tell us what ‘The Long Goodbye’ is about? Concept album, a break-up
2 Which prominent Indian journalist had his account suspended by Twitter said to be the work of the Deshi Army? (PS: The account has now been reinstated)
a) Arnab Goswami
b) Barkha Dutt
c) Salil Tripathi
d) Prannoy Roy
e) MJ Akbar
Correct Answer: c) Salil Tripathi…For a bonus point name the journals the writer contributes to…Mint, Caravan.
3 Which British film had its world premiere at Berlinale 2020 (Berlin Film Festival) and was part of the London Film Festival 2020?
a) Bloody Nose, Empty Pockets
b) Pari
c) Surge
d) Mogul Mowgli
e) Black Milk
Correct Answer: d) Mogul Mowgli For a bonus point name the director…Bassam Tariq
4 Who is the brainchild behind the digital online Urdu poetry and literature festival, Jashn-e-Rekta?
a) Sanjiv Saraf
b) Javed Akhtar
c) Gulzar
d) Kishwar Naheed
e) Rukhsana Ahmed Correct answer: a) Sanjiv Saraf
5. Which Indian film that had its premiere at the Berlin Panorama 2020 was also shown on the We Are One Global Film Festival?
a) The Disciple
b) Meel Pathar
c) A’hr
d) The Salt in Our Waters
e) Eeb Allay 000!
Correct Answer: e) Eeb Allay Ooo! For a bonus point name the director…Prateek Vats
Theatre
1 Which theatre company created the ‘audio walking tour’ specific show about East London?
a) Rifco
b) Tara-Arts
c) Tamasha
d) Fuel Theatre
e) Phizzical Productions
Correct answer: c) Tamasha (pictured above) For an extra point name the title of the show…We are the shadows Brick Lane
2 Which theatre company has created the SOLO series of monologues by women writers delivered during Covid?
a) Komola Collective
b) Kali
c) Clean Break
d) Talawa
e) Eclipse Correct Answer: b) Kali
3 Which actor (female) won the Olivier this year for Best Supporting Role in a Noel Coward play?
a) Indira Varma
b) Rina Fatania
c) Meera Syal
d) Priyanga Burford
e) Maimuna Menon
Correct Answer: a) Indira Varma For a bonus point name the title of the play… Present Laughter
4 Which writer/actor has been producing work around the theme of ‘touch’ on the lives of people in Luton?
a) Sudha Bhuchar
b) Riz Ahmed
c) Shaheen Khan
d) Ameet Chana
e) Daniel York Loh
Correct answer: a) Sudha Bhuchar For a bonus point give the title of the work…Touchstone Tales
5 Who directed an adaptation of ‘Three Sisters’ by Chekov and also appeared in the Stage 100 list
a) Indhu Rubasingham
b) Pooja Ghai
c) Kristine Landon-Smith
d) Poonam Brah
e) Nadia Fall
Correct Answer: e) Nadia Fall For an extra bonus point, what number is she on the list and what is her job title…Nadia Fall is Artistic Director Theatre Royal Stratford East and appeared at no.44 on the The Stage 100
Comedy – treat for getting this far!
There has not been much to laugh about this year but we are introducing you to a special Youtube video created by two young actors, Hamza Jeetooa & Natalie Perera – whose short YouTube films have brought some festive cheer this year…
Eastenders Christmas Special Parody (Representation Matters)
Music / Dance
1 Which dancer/choreographer who was awarded the MBE in 2019 produced a series of short works for viewers on digital for audiences in 2020?
a) Seeta Patel
b) Shobana Jeyasingh
c) Urja Desai Thakore
d) Akram Khan Company
e) Amina Khayyam Dance Company Correct answer: b) Shobana Jeyasingh
2 Which composer/pianist produced a video, Neelam’s story for World Mental Health Day?
a) A R Rahman
b) Zoe Rahman
c) Nitin Sawhney
d) Rekesh Chauhan
e) Priti Paintal Correct Answer: d) Rekesh Chauhan
3 What is the professional name is the artist Svetha Yallapragada Rao known by? (Clue: she sings the song, ‘Afreeda’ in the film, ‘Dil Bechaara’)
a) The Salvage Audio collective
b) Dee MC
c) Raja Kumari
d) Hard Kaur
e) M.I.A Correct answer: c) Raja Kumari
4 Which two Bollywood directors organised the ‘I for India’ online concert fundraiser for the Give India Covid 19 Response fund?
a) Farhan Akhtar & Farah Khan
b) Karan Johar & Zoya Akhtar
c) Meghna Gulzar & Hansal Mehta
d) Mira Nair & Metin Hüseyin
e) Gurinder Chadha & Menhaj Huda Correct answer: b) Karan Johar & Zoya Akhtar
5 Which artist brought out the album ‘Indigo Soul’ ?
a) Nitin Sawhney
b) Anoushka Shankar
c) Unnati Dasgupta
d) Najma Akhtar
e) Talvin Singh Correct answer: c) Unnati Dasgupta
As a Bonus dance extra – we thought you might enjoy this piece by Mahina Khanum reinforcing the message of Hands, face, space in a novel style.…
Literature/Personalities
1 Whose debut novel is described as dealing with the 3R “routemasters, reading and rioting”?
a) Gautam Malkani
b) Preeti Taneja
c) Koushik Banerjea
d) Hari Kunzru
e) Bidisha
Correct answer: c) Koushik Banerjea For a bonus point can you tell us the real title of the novel…Another kind of Concrete
2 Who won this year’s written word digital commission for At Home in the World run by the Bagri Foundation?
a) Humble the Poet
b) Shagufta Iqbal
c) Sanah Ahsan
d) Kia Abdullah
e) Imran Mahmood
Correct Answer: b) Shagufta Iqbal For a bonus point name the title of her commission…Loving Lonely, a Conversation
3 Who presents the ACV Bird Eye Review show?
a) Aarti Khetarpal
b) Natalie Barrass
c) Lilly Singh
d) Brigitte Leloire
e) Shay Grewal
Correct Answer: b)Natalie Barrass You will have to deduct 5 points if you get this wrong! haha.
4 Which BBC presenter wrote the book, ‘Partition Voices’?
a) Anita Anand
b) Kavita Puri
c) Babita Sharma
d) Anita Rani
e) Samira Ahmed Correct Answer: b) Kavita Puri
5 Which Hollywood /Bollywood icon, producer and singer was appointed by the British Fashion Council as Ambassador for Positive Change?
a) Sonam Kapoor Ahuja
b) Aishwarya Rai Bachchan
c) Priyanka Chopra Jonas
d) Kareena Kapoor Khan
e) Rani Mukherjee Chopra Correct Answer: c) Priyanka Chopra Jonas
Television
1 Which leading British soap drama series marked its 60th anniversary birthday this year?
a) Coronation Street
b) Eastenders
c) Hollyoaks
d) Emmerdale
e) Neighbours
Correct Answer: a) Coronation Street For a bonus point name the longest resident Asian family in that soap… Dev Alahan (Alahans)
2 Name the actor who played the role of Yasmin Metcalfe in the ‘domestic violence’ storyline popular soap?
a) Souad Faress
b) Shelley King
c) Balvinder Sopal
d) Harvey Virdi
e) Fiona Wade
Correct Answer: b) Shelley King For a bonus point, name the title of the soap…Coronation Street
3 Which series won India’s first ever International Emmy Award?
a) Sacred Games
b) Delhi Crime
c) Fabulous Lives of Bollywood Wives
d) Made in Heaven
e) A Suitable Boy
Correct Answer: b) Delhi Crime For a bonus point, name the director of the series…Richie Mehta
4 Which artist played the lead role of the mathematician dubbed “the Human Computer” for a 2020 film?
a) Mandeep Gill
b) Vidya Balan
c) Hema Malini
d) Archie Punjabi
e) Lara Dutta
Correct Answer: b) Vidya Balan For a bonus point, name the title of the film…Shakuntala Devi
5 Who played the upstart rapper in Mogul Mowgli and also appeared in the BBC series, The Industry?
a) Mawaan Rizwan
b) Hussain Manawer
c) Rishi Rich
d) Nabhaan Rizwan
e) Punjabi MC
Correct Answer: d) Nabhaan Rizwan For a bonus point, what is the rapper’s name…RPG
Art
1 Which British Asian artist has ‘mashed up the Tate facade?
a) Zarina Bhimji
b) Sutapa Biswas
c) Chila Kumari Singh Burman
d) Mithu Sen
e) Sam Madhu
Correct Answer: c) Chila Kumari Singh Burman For a bonus point, name the title of the installation and for an extra bonus point what is it inspired from…Remembering A Brave New World, a novel by Aldous Huxley
2 Which artists made the painting, NHS v Covid 19: Fighting on Two Fronts
a) The Singh Twins
b) Fabrizius Twins
c) Abby Double
d) Patil Twins
e) Saatchi Brothers Correct Answer: a) The Singh Twins
3 Which British sculptor had an exhibition at Houghton Hall, Norfolk earlier in the year?
a) Ai Weiwei
b) Dhruv Mistry
c) Anish Kapoor
d) Subodh Kerkar
e) Anwar Shemza Correct answer: c) Anish Kapoor
4 What is the exhibition ‘Eastern Encounters: Four Centuries of Paintings and Manuscripts from the Indian Subcontinent’, all about?
a) Relationship of Raj and Empire
b) Victorian memorabilia
c) Flora and fauna of India
d) Partition of India
e) Celebrating artistic life in UK
Correct Answer: a) Relationship of Raj and Empire…For a bonus point where is the exhibition currently (even if the gallery is closed due to Covid-19 restrictions!)…Queen’s Gallery, Edinburgh
5 Which celebrity fashion photographer took portraits of NHS staff Dr. Farzana Hussain & Dr. Roopak Khara to celebrate the National Health Service’s 72 birthday this year?
a) Rankin
b) Annie Leibovitz
c) Patrick Demarchelier
d) Rid Burman
e) Anwar Hussein Correct Answer: a) Rankin
So how many did you get right? How many bonus points? Are you an asianculturevulture? If you got all the answers and bonus correct, you will have a total of 91 points. Anything over 85 means you are an official asianculturevulture…for what it’s worth…
0-40 Bah Humbug! We know getting out has been difficult this year but you need to pay attention to the content on our channels…make sure you’re connected to us come 2021…
41-70 Pat yourself on the back and eat a mince pie as you revel in your artistic know-how
71-85 Congratulations, you know your stuff and welcome fellow asianculturevulture
85+ See the section on do you want to write for us? Haha
See you all next year – thanks for doing this – Happy New Year 2021!