“I can’t understand why I keep getting chance after chance,” the popular Fame Gurukul contestant Qazi Touqeer cannot believe his luck. At the same time this Kashmiri boy has the confidence to move ahead of the stiff confidence on the show. The judges don’t seem to think much of his singing talents. But the audiences love him.

Sony Entertainment has received SMS amounting to multiple lakhs for Qazi to stay on, though the judges wanted him out. (Recently, however, their attitude towards him has changed for the better.) “What do we do with this boy! He has proved there are forces much larger than talent to control stardom,” says Sony’s Tarun Katyal.

Qazi chuckles with self-pride. “I just don’t seem to be getting booted out. It must be my luck. But more than that, the viewers just love me. Otherwise, why would so many lakhs and lakhs of them spend Rs 6 each to SMS in my favour? Kuchh to baat hai.”

Eager, excited and a bit giddy-headed Qazi represents the young wannabe generation from the non-metropolitan towns who believe in their own talent. “Right from the start I wanted to be an actor. At 17, I had danced in front of Farooq Abdullah and he had said I’m better than Hrithik Roshan. Can you believe it!” the aspirant brags unintentionally. “Right now I’m quite uncertain about my future. I don’t know whether I want to be a dancer, actor or a singer. Maybe, I can be all three.”

Singing came to Qazi by default. “I’m not trained to be singer. I’ve an uncle who sings. But I never practised. Now when I’m suddenly in front of millions of viewers I find the need to sharpen my skills, to go beyond my limitations in singing. I realise my blind spots as singer. But I’m a performer. I think people like the way I move my hands, body, hair?”

Confident to the point of seeming cocky, his mainstay on Fame Gurukul isn’t his singing talent, but audience support. “They love me although the judges think I’ve a long way to go. If distinguished judges like Javed Akhtar Saab find me lacking then I must be not up to the mark. But I cannot disregard the audiences’ love and support. I think I am blessed.” ? SKJ

EXTRA FREE

Qazi Touqeer

Age: 19; Place of Birth: Srinagar; Parents: Father, lawyer, Mother, teacher; Education: Completed 12th standard; Passion: Clothes; Aim in life: “I want to be a superstar? sing, dance and act”; People love: His curly locks; His hair attracts web poll: “Maybe some vote for my personality...others say they really like my voice. I’m surprised when they say it’s my hairstyle”; Competitive: He won a baby show, a body-building competition and now is in Fame Gurukul; His Fans: Are in lakhs from all over India, evident from the SMS that saved him from the danger zone (6 times, till last week). Messages of support is flooding the net from all over the world ? from Pakistan to the UK and even Africa; RECORD OF SORTS: During the initial episodes alone, Qazi won votes that were far more than what Abhijeet Sawant or Amit Sana got in the entire Indian Idol show, it’s been a record for any reality show on television so far! QAZI ZONE: The ‘Danger Zone’ in Fame Gurukul is referred to as ‘Qazi Zone’. SENSE OF HUMOUR: On his undying relationship with the ‘Danger Zone’ he said, he’ll christen his son Danger. His ideal jodi: Rex D’Souza. “I am a performer-dancer, and Rex has a good voice...We will complement each other perfectly on stage. I am thin, he is not exactly thin...” REX SAYS: “He is a natural performer.... But above all, he is a good human being. What he says, he means.” JUDGE SHANKAR MAHADEVAN SAYS: “This is not a boring singing competition. Performance counts. Why else have they created a stage that has a ramp walk?”