I think it's the structure that makes it work -- how every question on the quiz show triggers a flashback that illuminates his harrowing past. A straight-forward telling would be nowhere near as effective. Add to that the surreal poverty and filth and mistreatment of India's underclass and you've got a nigh-on unforgettable film.
FPW
FAQ
"It means 'Ask the next question.' Ask the next question, and the one that follows that, and the one that follows that. It's the symbol of everything humanity has ever created." Theodore Sturgeon.