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Salman Khan has officially opened the doors to the Bigg Boss 20 house, with the grand premiere introducing viewers to this season’s contestants. Among the names making their way into the house is Qazi Touqeer, who is returning to reality television nearly two decades after winning Fame Gurukul! The singer, who rose to fame with the 2005 reality show, is now set for a very different kind of reality TV journey on Bigg Boss 20.
For viewers who remember the reality TV boom of the mid-2000s, Qazi’s name may bring back plenty of nostalgia. But for a younger audience, his journey is worth revisiting!
Qazi Touqeer Rose To Fame With Fame Gurukul
Qazi became a household name in 2005 when he participated in Sony Entertainment Television’s singing reality show Fame Gurukul. The show was based on the
international Fame Academy format and brought together aspiring singers who competed for a chance to build careers in the music industry.
Qazi, who hailed from Srinagar, quickly became one of the show’s most popular contestants. His popularity with viewers played a major role in his journey, and he was repeatedly saved from elimination by public votes. On October 20, 2005, Qazi and Ruprekha Banerjee were announced as the two winners of Fame Gurukul. The duo went on to become known as the show’s “Fame Jodi”.
Qazi And Arijit Singh Were Contestants On Fame Gurukul Together
One interesting detail about Qazi’s Fame Gurukul journey is that a young Arijit Singh was also among the contestants. Arijit, who would go on to become one of India’s biggest playback singers years later, was part of the same season.
While Arijit Singh finished sixth in the competition, Qazi Touqeer and Ruprekha Banerjee raced ahead of the other contestants and ultimately emerged as the winners of Fame Gurukul.
Interestingly, Qazi and Arijit share a great bond even two decades later! In 2026, Qazi shared a video from a reunion with Arijit in his hometown of Jiaganj, looking back at their Fame Gurukul days.
What Happened After Fame Gurukul?
Winning Fame Gurukul gave Qazi a huge burst of popularity, but his career after the show did not follow the conventional Bollywood success story.
Qazi and Ruprekha released the album Yeh Pal after their victory, with Qazi also recording tracks including “Karu Kya” and “Hero”.
He also had ambitions of becoming an actor. He was later cast in Take Off, which was meant to mark his acting debut, but the film never saw a release.
Qazi Returned To The Spotlight With Afghan Jalebi
Qazi made another appearance in the Bollywood music space years later when he featured in the video for the song ‘Afghan Jalebi’ featuring Katrina Kaif from the 2015 film Phantom.
Now, Qazi Is Back On Reality TV
Now, over two decades after Fame Gurukul, Qazi is returning to the reality-show format with Bigg Boss 20.
This time, however, the challenge is very different. Fame Gurukul introduced audiences to Qazi as a young singer. Bigg Boss will give viewers a chance to see his personality and, perhaps, introduce him to an entirely new generation of viewers!
