MELA quiz for Rendezvous 2024 at IIT Delhi | In The Mood For Yellow Submarines Finals | Co-set with Arunabh and Sabhya (run as an open quiz for rendezvous 2024)

A MELA Quiz For Rendezvous ’
2
4
By
Ramish, Arunabh and Sabhya

A MELA Quiz For Rendezvous ’24
By
Ramish, Arunabh and Sabhya

Acknowledgements
• The QMs would like to thank Saswata, Anish, Rishabh and Varun for GPing
the set and providing valuable feedback.
• The QMs would like to thank Gulia and the QC rep team for their help in
smooth conduct of the quiz.

Rules
• There are 5 rounds in the quiz, 2 written (5 questions each) and 3 dries (8
questions each) constituting 34 questions in total.
• The marking of questions is +10/-5 on pounce, +10/0 on bounce. (Part
marking +5/+10, +3/+6/+10)
• The use of any and all electronic devices is prohibited during the quiz. (We
request you to keep your phones on silent)
• Hints will be provided at the discretion of the QMs.
• The decision of the QMs will be
fi
nal and binding.

1.
The lyrics of a song by X talk about being lost and found, about feeling unseen
and misunderstood as you search for spiritual and physical reconnection with
the world. Its title is a reference to a character from the 2001 movie Y, who
“learned to face her fears by developing a heightened understanding and
appreciation of life.”
X had previously expressed her love for the director of Y. The visuals in one of
her previous music videos were directly in
fl
uenced by this director’s works.
(Video follows)
Identify X and Y.

2.
The X was formed sometime in the middle of the 20th century by 6 prominent
fi
gures
in the space. It did not have a particular style, and its main goal was to break off from
the traditional revivalist movement that had been established by the Bengal school,
rather it wanted to encourage a more avant-garde approach. Identify the name X.
The original X did not last long, disintegrating in just three years with the departure
of two of founders from the country; however, their activities still continued and
more people continued to join. One of these was Y, who was the only woman
associated with X. Y would later go on to change
fi
elds and achieve international
recognition(and the
fi
rst from the country) for her contributions to a project in the
other
fi
eld. Identify Y.

(Bombay) Progressive
Artists Group

3.
X is a largely ignored piece of work from this director. It was one of his
fi
nals works. The director
once said that he felt that his compatriots feel a totally different type of X as : "an illness that
drains away the strength of the soul, the capacity to work, the pleasure of living", but also, "a
profound compassion that binds us not so much with our own privation, our longing, our
separation, but rather with the suffering of others, a passionate empathy." What is the name of the
fi
lm ? / Identify X.
A major plot point of the
fi
lm is a fanatic who connects with like minded individuals from the
country and they decide to hold a procession in Rome. The fanatic climbs on a statue to start his
address of how mankind has strayed from the good path and how the “healthy leaders” have
ignored the unhealthy. This address ultimately ends in self immolation. The director chose this
speci
fi
c statue of a person perhaps because he is considered to be the last exceptional leader of
men (literally in a sense). On whose statue does this fanatic stand to deliver his address ?

Marcus Aurelius
(The last of the 5 good emperors)

4.
Joseph-Samuel Farinet was a 19th century counterfeiter from Italy.
He arrived in Valais, a southern Swiss Canton in the Rhone valley, in 1869. He helped
liberate many locals from debt, which helped him gain food, shelter and protection
from the authorities that were pursuing him. In doing so, he became a local
embodiment of freedom. What moniker, including the name of the geographical
region where he made his exploits, did this earn him?
In 2017, a group of Valais residents honoured Farinet in a way that would have would
have made him happy. They created something complementary to the status quo which
could only be seen in Valais, that was “to foster networks between local people and to
boost the local economy.” How did they pay homage to him?

Started a local currency
called Farinets

5.
Bong Joon-Ho's debut
fi
lm as director, Barking Dogs Never Bite, is satirically named after the short story
X, which is very popular in east Asia. Bong Joon-Ho's
fi
lm however does an inversion from the story,
making the
fi
lm about a man and the dogs he hates.
There is even a statue paying homage to X in the city X is set in, pictured on the following slide. Identify
X, or give me the name of the statue.
The fact that the city is now associated with X is quite ironic, because the author describes the city as:
“Without Y, what was ______? A dirty, dusky, bustling mart, which no man would ever care to look upon
save the traders who do business on its wharves. With Y, to the whole world of men it is a sacred name, a
sacred soil, a Bethlehem, where a god of Art saw light, a Golgotha, where a god of Art lies dead.”
This connection is further stressed upon in the story, as the
fi
nal act of the story takes place when the
protagonist wishes to go see Y's triptych "Elevation of the Cross" at the cathedral. Identify Y.

Dog Of Flanders
Accept : Nello and Patrasche

6.
Jafar Panahi is an Iranian
fi
lm maker who rose to fame when he won the Camera D’or
in 1995 for his debut feature
fi
lm, The White Balloon. In the late 2000s, the Iranian
government felt that Panahi’s
fi
lms were wrong in their portrayal of Iran and thus
placed Panahi under house arrest and banned him from making
fi
lms for the
foreseeable future.
Panahi, as resolute as ever, sneakily
fi
lmed his life under house arrest and a copy of this
was smuggled to the Cannes
fi
lm festival in 2011 where it premiered. The title of this
fi
lm draws direct inspiration from a 20th century piece of art. The title of the movie is
perhaps Panahi’s way of saying that he did not break the rules of his captivity.
What is the title of the movie ? What is the artwork in question ?

7.
Mila 18 is a 1961 historical novel by Leon Uris set in German-occupied Warsaw, Poland,
before and during World War II. Leon Uris's work, based on real events, covers the Nazi
occupation of Poland and the atrocities of systematically dehumanising and eliminating the
Jewish people of Poland.
The existence of this Mila 18 was the reason for a certain edit in the world of literature, for
another work to avoid any association and confusion with Mila 18. What insigni
fi
cant but
now iconic change did Mila 18 end up affecting?
In August 2017, it was announced by
fi
lm producer X that he would produce a movie based
on the novel, appointing himself as director. However, less than two months later, this
movie’s existence as well as X’s future in the business was soon put into question. Identify X.

Catch-18 was changed to :
Catch-22

8.
Tim’s X is a 2013 documentary about Hockney Falco Thesis, a fairly controversial
theory in modern art discourse. The thesis broadly tries to argue that the masters
of old were not really painting still life but rather painting with the help of still
images of still life, which would help them capture a higher level of detail, as is the
case in X’s works from the 17th century epitomised by a painting displayed in The
Hague. Identify X.
One of the other examples cited is Y. Y is another painting known for its high
levels of detailing, speci
fi
cally because of its understated depiction of 10 stories
from the Bible. Much like the Hockney Falco thesis, Y also adopts twisted plays
with perspective in one of its central motifs. Identify Y.

The written round
Minecraft MELA
References

1.
The Minecraft advancement ____ ____(3,4) is obtained upon forcibly opening a chest
located in a bastion remnant. The bastion remnants are guarded by the hostile mob X
shown on the next slide. These treasures are sacred to them, and if they spot you
opening one of these chests, they will attack you.
The advancement name refers to the opening track of the band Y’s second album
released in 1970. The original title of the song was named after Saint Walpurga’s Eve-
the night of the witches’ _______ (7)- but it was rejected by the record company for
sounding too satanic.
Fill in the blanks.

2.
In Minecraft, copper blocks can oxidize, turning from their orange-red colour instead to
a dull green. While you might want to achieve this colour sometimes, if you want to
prevent the oxidation, you can do so- simply apply a honeycomb to obtain a version of
the block that does not oxidize. Doing so gives you the advancement X Y.
If you change your mind, you can remove the coating from the copper block by
interacting with it while an axe is in your hand. Doing so gives you the advancement X
Z.
The two advancements couple together to form a popular phrase from a movie from
1984, often credited with popularizing the (titular) subject matter in the States.
Identify the phrase.

3.
Witches are a fairly annoying enemy in Minecraft. With their af
fl
iction of poison and slowness,
as well as the ability to heal themselves, they can be seriously scary for a beginner player to
face. One way to encounter a Witch is for a harmless Villager entity to be struck by lightning. So
you could say that Villager getting struck by a lightning bolt could be a frightful experience for
a new player(and probably the Villager.)
One can also forcibly strike a Villager with lightning using enchantments- upon which the
advancement “___ ___ _______” (4, 4, 11) is unlocked. The lyrics are appropriate for the players
experience and also reference an epic song X, notably also sung by Elton John in 1992 at a
concert.
Identify the song or put funda for the concert.

4.
The Wither is the second boss mob added to Minecraft. It is summoned by placing four soul
sand in a T-shape mounted with the skulls of three wither skeletons. Upon summoning it,
the player unlocks the advancement X- _______ _____. True to its name, the Wither’s attacks
in
fl
ict a debilitating effect on the player.
The Wither upon death drops the exclusive item “Nether Star”. This item is required to
build a beacon, a block which elevates the players experience to new heights.
The name of the advancement is a play on a work from the 1800s. It was originally credited
to a Bell, which was actually a pseudonym of Y’s. It is a very famous work, having inspired
many adaptations, including a song.
Identify X and Y.

5.
In Minecraft, the Allay is a passive mob, that once freed by the player, can be given items that it
will retrieve duplicates of. When an Allay
fi
nds a duplicate of the item it was given, it will bring
the duplicate and give it to the player, triggering the advancement X. The meaning is obvious-
by helping the player, the Allay is quite literally telling them that it can be trusted, or saying
“X”.
The advancement references the most famous song from a 1995
fi
lm, which was itself a
fi
rst in
terms of its production. The
fi
lm- regarded as one of the best of its kind- was a hit both critically
and commercially, with praise directed towards the script, score and wide appeal. It was
nominated for Best Original Screenplay, Score and the song X was nominated for Best Original
Song.
Identify X.

3.
Witches are a fairly annoying enemy in Minecraft. With their af
fl
iction of poison and slowness,
as well as the ability to heal themselves, they can be seriously scary for a beginner player to
face. One way to encounter a Witch is for a harmless Villager entity to be struck by lightning. So
you could say that Villager getting struck by a lightning bolt could be a frightful experience for
a new player(and probably the Villager.)
One can also forcibly strike a Villager with lightning using enchantments- upon which the
advancement “___ ___ _______” (4, 4, 11) is unlocked. The lyrics are appropriate for the players
experience and also reference an epic song X, notably also sung by Elton John in 1992 at a
concert.
Identify the song X or put funda for the concert.

Bohemian Rhapsody (very very
frightening)
Freddy Mercury Tribute Concert

Withering Heights
Emily Bronte

5.
In Minecraft, the Allay is a passive mob, that once freed by the player, can be given items that it
will retrieve duplicates of. When an Allay
fi
nds a duplicate of the item it was given, it will bring
the duplicate and give it to the player, triggering the advancement X. The meaning is obvious-
by helping the player, the Allay is quite literally telling them that it can be trusted, or saying “X”.
The advancement references the most famous song from a 1995
fi
lm, which was itself a
fi
rst in
terms of its production. The
fi
lm- regarded as one of the best of its kind- was a hit both critically
and commercially, with praise directed towards the script, score and wide appeal. It was
nominated for Best Original Screenplay, Score and the song X was nominated for Best Original
Song. The
fi
lm was also selected for preservation in the US National Film Registry in the year
2005.
Identify X.

You’ve got a friend in me
Toy Story

9.
Lace is a 1984 American television miniseries, the
fi
rst to feature a certain movie trope. One of its
dialogues, "Incidentally, which one of you bitches is my mother?", was named the best line in television
history by TV Guide in 1993.
Dil Aashna Hai (1992), starring Divya Bharti, was the directorial debut of Hema Malini. It was adapted
directly from Lace. It was the
fi
rst
fi
lm X signed in 1991. However, due to delays, another
fi
lm, Y, which
also featured Divya Bharti, released
fi
rst and ended up marking X’s iconic debut in Bollywood. This
ended up working out well for him, as Y was a hit but Dil Aashna Hai wasn’t successful with
audiences. Identify X or Y.
Tell Me o KKhuda (2011), Hema Malini’s only other directorial venture, features the same trope as Lace
and Dil Aashna Hai, but with the genders reversed. It was also said to be an unof
fi
cial remake of a 2008
musical which grossed upwards of $690 million at the global box of
fi
ce. Identify the 2008 movie.

X - Shah Rukh Khan
Y - Deewana

10.
In a book published in 1975, the author tries to juxtapose the advances in science and technology with
something (this something is summarised in the 3 word title of the book). He argues that while some
people might mistake these developments as humanitarian advances, these are without mistake
industrial advances, aimed at providing society with people better equipped to “produce”. This is
substantiated by following the growth of certain institutions.
The book has been translated into many languages including English. The Penguin modern classics
edition of this book features a famous artwork. This artwork is a scene inside one of these institutions
and was inspired by a similar artwork by a relatively unknown artist, who engraved this artwork on a
wall. This painting was actually a copy of copy of this original artwork which was published in De
Katholieke Illustratie. It was created late into this artist’s life when he (forcibly) moved away from
painting life to copying other works and photographs.
What book and artwork am I talking about ?

11.
The success of the 1964
fi
lm, A Hard Day’s Night led to the creation of a sitcom that followed members of a
fi
ctional band X trying to make a name for themselves. Subsequently, X became a real band, and- if you'd
believe it- one of the most successful bands of the late 60s, propelled by the popularity of the television show.
X broke up very soon, by 1970, but would continue to get together for reunion tours and television specials
over the next few decades, with the last tour in 2021 featuring the last two surviving members of the original
band. Identify X.
One of the opening acts for X was Y. The idea was arranged in 1967 by Y's manager, thinking it would be a
good boost in publicity for Y. X and Y could not have been more different- X were carried by the popularity of
their show, while Y had climbed his way up playing small gigs in many places. With how famous Y is, you
would think the fans were in for a great experience- but the target audience for X didn't appreciate Y at all. Y
would later say that he hated that X, essentially a commercial product, made it big when other groups were
begging for their break. Identify Y.

12.
X was founded by Alphonzo ____ (4) in 1923. Alphonzo owned farm property in Santa
Fe Springs, California, where oil was discovered. He bought a large ranch with a home
on what is now X Road. He subdivided and developed the property with large
residential lots, and his wife chose Italian names for the streets.
Several cities in Europe have also borrowed the name X for chic areas boasting a good
quality of life, such as Paris, Geneva, Luxembourg and Lausanne.
X also lent its name to a 2022 series created by Morgan Cooper, and based on a short
fan
fi
lm he created in 2019. It follows the protagonist’s complicated journey as the show
dives deep into racial tension, culture shock, and the elitist world of the black
bourgeoisie. Identify X.

13.
In the following slide is an excerpt from a poem written in the 1950s by
renowned poet and Nobel Laureate X:
The blanked-out term has since entered the English language as a common
noun to describe such territories, notably the region X hails from. Identify X.
This term was coined by O. Henry in his novel, “Cabbages and Kings”.
The novel gets its name directly from a phrase in a narrative poem Y, which at
fi
rst seems like an outlandish conversation(typical of the author) by the shore,
but has deeper interpretations, owing to its depiction of hypocrisy and greed.
Quite aptly, an oyster bar in Seattle also bears the same name. Identify Y.

Continued.
"The Fruit Company, Inc.
Reserved for itself the most succulent,
The central coast of my own land,
The delicate waist of the Americas.
It rechristened its territories
As the “______ _________”,
And over the sleeping dead,
Over the restless heroes
Who brought about the greatness,
The liberty and the
fl
ags,
It established a comic opera ..."

14.
_______ ___ _______ is an anthology
fi
lm released in late 20th century. It was meant to be a
homage of kinds to the eponymous brand and the people behind the brand. The
fi
lm celebrated
their achievements. It was a collaboration between 41 international directors, each of whom
were asked to shoot 52 second long movies with special cameras and no more than 3 takes.
Attached on the next slide is one such short movie (of ~52 seconds) which was shot by David
Lynch for this Anthology.Who does this anthology movie pay homage to ?
One of the most derivative works from the person(s) in question was shot by Patrice Leconte. A
perfect visualisation of the statement, “The more the things change, the more they remain the
same.” What was Leconte’s entry to the Anthology ? (Which was originally, a source of utmost
horror for the public)

What :
L'Arrivée d'un train en
gare de La Ciotat
or Train Pulling into a
Station (La Ciotat) but a
100 years after
Who :
The Lumiere Brothers
This is Lecomte’s short
fi
lm which captures a train arriving
at the La Ciotat station in 1995, 100 years after the Lumiere Brothers

15.
X is an American Jazz standard. It was originally conceived by trombonist Juan Tizol during his tenure
with Duke Ellington's orchestra in 1936. It's mystique stems from its blending of Middle Eastern motifs
with the American jazz idiom, and it is known for a distinct 'exotic' sound. There have been over 350
recordings of it by iconic jazz musicians such as Thelonious Monk and Nat King Cole. Identify X.
21 years later, Y released “Y Sings the Duke Ellington Song Book”, where they showcased their skill in scat
singing. This album marked the
fi
rst of many future collaborations between Duke Ellington and Y.
Identify Y.
The lyrics to X were written in 1936 itself. These lyrics talk about a couple traveling through the desert,
with the night sky and stars serving as their backdrop. They are usually not performed, and it is unknown
to the mainstream that they even exist, but they were sung by Y in their album. The album received
critical acclaim on release and it translated later in the year to something which cemented this album atop
the metaphorical Jazz history iceberg. In this light, what was the Album's contribution to Jazz history?

Ella Fitzgerald
It was awarded for the best solo
performance at the First Grammy
Awards in 1957

16.
The following is a watercolour painting by the English painter and poet X. It is part of a series of works titled "The
Great Red Dragon" paintings. Though unrecognized throughout his life, he has since become a seminal
fi
gure in the
history of the Romantic age. Identify X.
The painting (partially) lends its name to a 1981 psychological horror novel whose cover features the painting shown
on the next slide. The sequel, Y, however, is much more widely known, especially the milestone-setting adaptation
that followed it. The milestone in question had only been achieved twice before and never since. This success would
turn the character Z introduced in the
fi
rst novel into somewhat of an icon. Identify Y. What is the milestone?
There are many inspirations for Z. One of them is said to be Alfredo Treviño, a physician, who was also the last
person to be condemned to death in Mexico. Beside this, Z's portrayal was unusual for the kind of role at the time,
and in fact changed the perception in cinema of how such people might behave. The actor who portrays Z in Y said
they were inspired by HAL9000. An article elaborated on this with the description, "Ultra sane, [..] all brain[..], A
dispassionate, brilliant machine, superb at logic and de
fi
cient in emotions. But one key to the appeal of Y is that
audiences like Z- as a dinner party guest he would (ironically) give you value for money."

Silence Of The Lambs
Milestone : Big 5

Constantinople is a Montreal-based early music and middle
eastern music ensemble. The group was formed in 1988 by
brothers Kiya Tabassian (setar) and Ziya Tabassian (tombak).
The Constantinople ensemble aims to interpret a diverse
repertoire spanning medieval, baroque, and contemporary
aesthetics, from the Mediterranean Europe to the East.
Constantinople produces three or four new works each year
and travels to collaborate with top musicians based on
project requirements. These creations form the regular season
presented in Montreal, Quebec, Ottawa, and Toronto.
Subsequently, the works are featured in performance tours
across Canada and internationally.
The names of these Albums/Concerts are rather interesting.
Context

The written round
Constantinople
Concert Titles

1.
One of the creations by the ensemble is named X, a concept which was
suggested by the eponymous person. The story goes that the king of the
Ottoman Empire commissioned a structure to be built to connect crucial parts
of his empire in Turkey itself.
In words of the ensemble, the creation aims to create one such imaginary
structure, with the help of Italian singer Marco Beasley and manuscripts which
were found in the national libraries of Istanbul and Florence.
What is the name of this concert ?
(Of the form : “The *structure* of *the person*)

2.
One of the creations by the ensemble is named “The Odyssey of X”. The title is an
obvious reference to X’s major reason for prominence, which is a travelogue that he
published in 1608, detailing his journey from Bohemia to Jerusalem. This journey was
not a simple one because at that point in time, the Habsburg Empire was at war with
the Ottomans, which meant that X had to use a series of disguises to make his journey
to Jerusalem from Venice.
X was also a highly regarded Bohemian composer at the time, with his compositions
being highly traditional and conservative. He was ultimately executed due to his
participation in the Bohemian revolt.
Identify X.

3.
One of the creations by the ensemble is named “The Musical Voyages of X”. It
is meant to be a large and collaborative piece which follows the journeys of the
merchant, X (much like X’s famous travelogue).
For an immersive experience of X’s journey through music, Constantinople are
usually joined by other music ensembles from Italy, Mongolia, India,
Uzbekistan and China during the performance of this set.
Identify X.

4.
One of the creations by the ensemble is named X and Khayyam. The concept behind this set is that the
poems of Omar Khayyam are recited to the tunes of X, as if Khayyam and X are in conversation. While X
and Khayyam were separated by an odd 600 years (Khayyam died in the 12th century), one similarity in
their work is their devotion to god. Unlike others of his time, X produced hundreds of pieces devoted to
god. Many believe that it is a representation of the time when X taught Martin Luther’s small catechism
in a church in Leipzig when he was younger.
The stature of X is so legendary that there is a musical cryptogram based on him. The musical alphabet
includes only 7 letters (A, B, C, D, E, F, G), however, in German musical nomenclature, the B
fl
at and B
natural are considered two different sounds. This “tune” for the lack of a better word was created by X
himself and utilises only 4 sounds of the German musical alphabet. It has been used by many composers
in their works as a homage to X, including but not limited to Schumann and Liszt.
Identify X and explain the cryptogram.

5.
One of the creations by the ensemble is named “In the footsteps of X”, and is
simply a recitation of X’s work with choice music from the ensemble. The 13th
century spiritual poet refused to be labelled as a person from a certain place all
of his life (even though his moniker would lead you to believe otherwise),
which ties in nicely with the band’s overall theme of eastern and western
fusion. The band chose to perform some of X’s earlier works which were
written in Arabic, before his eventual shift to Persian.
Identify X.

IL PONTE DI LEONARDO OR
The Bridge of Leonardo
Further trivia :
The bridge was actually created as an artistic public
structure in Norway (pictured here) .It is a
completely wooden and walkable structure.
Read more

Bach
The BACH motif is a common music cryptogram.
Since B
fl
at and B natural are different alphabets in
the German musical alphabet, the alphabet is
extended to H.
The Bach motif is simply the German musical
alphabets B,A,C,H one after the another.

17.
X was one of the most decorated artists from India to grace the
fi
eld. Having practiced the art from an
early age, their
fi
rst performance was at the Rockfort Temple in 1927, organized by INC leader Natesa
Iyer. Identify X, also a Bharat Ratna recipient.
X was also the
fi
rst Indian musician to receive the Y award. The Y award was
fi
rst established by
trustees of the Rockefeller fund, with the concurrence of the Philippine government. It was (relatively)
recently in the news because of one of its recipients, and in part due to a certain minister. Identify Y.
X also starred in some
fi
lms, the
fi
rst of these being B. The movie adapts a famous work from the
subcontinent following the story of a woman who leaves her marriage to work at an A- but
subsequent social dilemmas lead her to instead start working at a B, completely opposite on the social
spectrum. Interestingly enough, the novel is known by both titles, A and B. Identify either A or B.

Pictured here is a part of a painting by Paul Baudry, which provides a different
perspective to an all too famous painting. Baudry takes some of the limelight
away from the subject of the original painting and puts it onto this woman, an
all too important but often ignored part of the story.
Which painting am I talking about ?
The painter of the original painting was quite a popular artist and political
fi
gure of his time. One of his earlier paintings depicting warriors was criticised
by one of his political heroes as “having
fi
xed poses and a lack of action”. This
motivated him to paint a famed scene of war from ancient history in a
mountain pass. In the painting a soldier carves out on a rock “Π
ή
γαινε,
περαστικ
ό
ς, στη ______ Υπακο
ύ
οντας στο ν
ό
μο της π
έ
σαμε” roughly
translating to, “Go, passer-by, to ______ Obedient to her law we fell”. What
battle does this painting depict ?
18.

Leonidas at Thermopylae
Death of Marat

19.
These _____ _______ (5,7) is a 2015 musical adapted from Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing.
Its title is taken from one of Benedick’s soul-searching soliloquies in the original, where he said "Shall
quips and sentences and these _____ _______ (5,7) of the brain awe a man from the career of his
humour?" Shakespeare supposedly used the term _____ _______ (5,7) instead of "words." It shows a
deeper image of the kind of words Beatrice and Benedick exchange with each other. ______ (7) on one
hand are strong and harmful, while _____ (5) isn't. The term is a paradox explaining that the harsh
words and witty comments Beatrice exchanges with Benedick aren't all that hurtful, since she really
loves him deep down. What is the 2015 musical called?
The original songs for the play were written by a Grammy and Tony Award winner, who won the Tony
for a 2009 musical X. X was politically charged and expresses the disillusionment and dissent of a
generation that came of age in a period shaped by tumultuous events such as 9/11 and the Iraq War.
Who wrote the original songs?

20.
X is a documentary released around 2000. It was directed in 1999, about 11 years after something
started at this location. The documentary follows the daily life of this person, upto a point where
he receives a crucial document, which means that he can maybe escape this ordeal (literally) after
11 years. This story was brought into popular conscience in 2004 by one of Hollywood’s lead
blockbuster directors.
The name of the documentary derives from a piece of work roughly 50 years older than the
documentary itself. It keeps the title of the original work intact, and adds a position/place
speci
fi
er at the end, which is the same place that the focus of the documentary is on.
The original work is referenced in the Oscar winning movie, Drive my car, an excerpt from which
is shown on the next slide.
What is the name of the documentary ?

Waiting for Godot at
De Gaulle

21.
Castrovalva is a village atop a steep hill in the Abruzzo region of Italy. It is also
the subject and the name of a painting by artist X, though it does not feature
any of the elements that X would later become famous for.
Because of this painting, the town also lends its name to an episode of Doctor
Who. In this episode, the characters
fi
nd themselves in the town of Castrovalva.
However, when they try to leave through any of the exits, they
fi
nd themselves
back in a particular plaza in the town, a situation more characteristic of X's
style. Identify X.

22.
Khwaja Ahmad Abbas was a prominent literary
fi
gure who wrote political columns, screenplays and
novels. He was also a prominent director of the time. One can note the involvement of Abbas in
fi
lms
nominated for a certain award. He wrote the screenplay for the only
fi
lm from India which has won this
award till date. He was involved in 2 more
fi
lms which were nominated for this award, in the roles of a
screenwriter and a director respectively. Which award am I talking about ?
He directed Rahi in 1953 which was based off a novel by Y, a prominent Indian writer who wrote on
pressing social issues. He was a
fl
amboyant man who actively travelled around Europe after obtaining a
PhD from Cambridge, where he published his
fi
rst novel, chronicling a day in the life of a Dalit man in
India. Identify Y.
Y's dissertation for his PhD was on the set of English empiricists, notably Z. Z was a Nobel laureate for his
writings, notably in support of humanitarian ideals and freedom of thought. A logical thinker, Z is also
famous for his contributions to a different
fi
eld (and is in fact even more decorated there). Identify Z.

The Palme D’or
Neecha Nagar (1946) remains the only
Indian movie to have won the coveted
trophy.
A possible caveat could be that Palme D’ors
were awarded by the dozen (almost) in 1946.

23.
X’s debut solo single, “Who Am I? (What’s My Name?)” was released in 1993.
The CGI-driven music video for this shows X and a few of his friends, who
transform into a different form and go wild. Who is X?
One scene in particular shows them wearing sunglasses, smoking cigars and
gambling while being transformed, as a way paying homage to a series of
works from the late 19th / early 20th century. Another work by the same
person (but not a part of its series) could also be seen in the background of the
video. Which series of works?

24.
The following slide contains an image from X, originally published in 1991. The
series contains a myriad of references to various mythologies, literature and art.
Identify X.
In it, Lucifer mentions the line "Better to serve in Heaven than reign in Hell",
which is taken directly from Y(the blanked out part in the image)'s masterpiece.
However, Lucifer disagrees, saying that Y was blind- he knows nothing of what it
is actually like(to serve in Heaven or reign in Hell); a pun made doubly apt by the
fact that Y was actually blind at the time of writing this work. It was only the
second of his works to reach print, but would go on to cement his status as one of
the greatest English poets. Identify Y or the work in question.

MELA quiz for Rendezvous 2024 at IIT Delhi | In The Mood For Yellow Submarines Finals | Co-set with Arunabh and Sabhya (run as an open quiz for rendezvous 2024)

MELA quiz for Rendezvous 2024 at IIT Delhi | In The Mood For Yellow Submarines Finals | Co-set with Arunabh and Sabhya (run as an open quiz for rendezvous 2024)

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