If you watched reality television in the mid-2000s, chances are you remember Qazi Touqeer. With his long hair, distinctive style and strong stage presence, Qazi became one of the most talked-about contestants on Fame Gurukul. He eventually won the Sony TV singing reality show alongside Ruprekha Banerjee in 2005. More than two decades later, Qazi is back in yet another reality show! He has entered Bigg Boss 20, giving his fans from the 2000s a nostalgic surprise. But what has the Fame Gurukul winner been up to since his 2005 victory?
Qazi Touqeer’s Life After Winning Fame Gurukul In 2005
Fame Gurukul brought together aspiring singers from across the country, and Qazi Touqeer emerged as the winner of the reality show in 2005, along with Ruprekha Banerjee. Arijit Singh was also a contestant on the reality show,
and emerged in the sixth position. Interestingly, Qazi and Arijit have stayed in touch over the last two decades and are still good friends!
Winning a popular reality show can open plenty of doors, and Qazi did get opportunities after Fame Gurukul. He and Ruprekha released the album Qazi-Ruprekha Jodi No-1 in November 2005. The album included songs such as “Yeh Pal”, “Karu Kya”, “Hero” and “Meri Mehbooba”.
Qazi Started Getting Acting Offers After Fame Gurukul
Qazi was never interested in being only a singer, and he also wanted to pursue acting. In a 2024 interview with Siddharth Kannan, he revealed that he started getting acting offers soon after the reality show ended.
He recalled how he once found himself caught between two opportunities, soon after Fame Gurukul. There was confusion over the contracts and how the situation was being reported in the media.
“I wanted to go into acting and do films. Many things happened in my life. There was a film called Piya. Ahmed Khan and Bobby Khan were making it. I remember we went to Firoz Nadiadwala’s office. Sneha Ullal was the female lead, and I was about to be signed for the film. But, as it happened, the film did not happen,” Qazi recalled.
Ekta Kapoor Also Approached Him, Says Qazi
Qazi was only 19 at the time, but he was already getting offers from some of the biggest names in the industry.
He recalled that Ekta Kapoor had also approached him and narrated a script to him. At the same time, Sony wanted to launch him as a rockstar on the popular TV show Kaisa Yeh Pyaar Hai.
With several offers coming his way, Qazi admitted that he found himself in a difficult situation. He was new to Mumbai and did not know how the industry’s management and professional dealings worked.
Qazi also recalled how the situation was later reported in the media. Since he was only 19 and unfamiliar with how the industry worked, he said he did not know how to handle the situation or even clarify what had happened.
He said he could not simply refuse Ekta Kapoor when she came to narrate the script because of his age and inexperience. Later, reports appeared claiming that Qazi had “ditched” Ekta Kapoor.
“I couldn’t say no to Ekta Kapoor in front of her because I was only 19. Then it came out in the papers that Qazi had ditched Ekta Kapoor. I didn’t even know that I was signed,” he recalled.
Qazi added that things were very different at the time. Unlike today, when celebrities can immediately clarify reports through social media, he had no direct way of responding to such stories.
Despite everything that happened, Qazi said film offers continued to come his way. He also recalled an encouraging moment with veteran lyricist and fame Gurukul judge Javed Akhtar, who told him that he would get film offers once he stepped out of the show.
Qazi Filmed For ‘Take Off’ With Rajpal Yadav
The singer said he later stayed away from the limelight for around two to three years. Even during that period, he received offers, including a film titled Take Off, which also starred Rajpal Yadav.
The film was shot for a few days, but the project was eventually shelved.
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. In a chat with Siddharth Kannan, he revealed that he was not credited in the description for his appearance in the song. Despite this, thousands of comments mentioned his name, which he saw as proof that his audience still remembered him.
While he didn’t appear in any major projects after that, he continued to share videos on his YouTube channel and Instagram.
Qazi Had Been Working On A ‘Serious’ Project
In a 2018 interview with Hindustan Times, Qazi revealed that he had been working on a ‘serious project’. “I am working on a project that is important to me, and because of that, I have been rejecting all the offers,” he said.
Meanwhile, two years ago, he revealed that he has written a script on Kashmir and he plans to make it.
Now, he’s back on Bigg Boss 20. The singer is among the contestants on the latest season of Salman Khan’s reality show, which premiered on September 6, 2026. His entry marks another major reality-TV chapter for someone whose career began with one of the most memorable singing shows of the 2000s!
