Bigg Boss 20 kicked off last week, with host Salman Khan introducing the 16 contestants this season. Within just a few days, if any contestant has managed to garner attention inside the house, it was singer and Fame Gurukul-fame Qazi Touqeer . Clips of his antics from the show and live feed went viral, as he sang songs, feuded with other contestants and left many with sleepless nights in Bigg Boss. His line, “I’m a Rockstar baby, aau!” also became a viral catchphrase.
Now Hina Khan, the first runner-up of Bigg Boss 11, has now showered praises on Qazi. Taking to her X account on Sunday, Hina wrote, "As a fellow Kashmiri, I’m genuinely happy and proud to see Qazi winning hearts and once again being celebrated like a rockstar after all these years.
He’s currently proving that entertainment doesn’t need controversy or frequent fights to attract attention. I hope he continues entertaining people with the same positive spirit while staying on the path that has earned him so much love and appreciation."
However, Hina also had a minor complaint. She added, "The only thing I disagree with is the way mental and physical illness are sometimes portrayed as a source of entertainment. I sincerely wish he would avoid that. Apart from this, I think he’s doing a great job. Nevertheless, I wish him nothing but the best. May he keep shining and continue making Kashmir proud."
Qazi is already emerging as one of the more noticeable personalities in the house, but his behaviour is also giving viewers a sense of déjà vu. His tendency to put himself at the centre of conversations and constantly talk about his achievements is reminiscent of Tanya Mittal. In a video from the live feed, Qazi was seen sitting with a group of contestants and telling them that he had built a special “coffee tanki” at his home in Kashmir, similar to a water tank, simply because he is a coffee lover. In another video doing the rounds on social media, he claimed that he is a commando and can do 20 push-ups in five minutes.
Even Salman praised Qazi. In the first Weekend Ka Vaar, Salman was seen praising Qazi for dominating the house in the opening week. Salman also singled out Qazi's entertaining persona. “Iss ghar main kitne bhi stars hain, rockstar toh ek hi hai Qazi Touqeer. Poore week main apne Owww karke chal rahe the… Mujhe sikha do na ‘I am a rockstar baby.' (There may be many stars in this house, but there's only one rockstar, and that's Qazi Touqeer. All week, you have been walking around going ‘Owww!' Teach me too: ‘I am a rockstar, baby.')" Salman said.
The Kashmiri singer first shot to nationwide fame in 2005 when he won the reality singing show Fame Gurukul alongside Ruprekha Banerjee, becoming one of the most recognisable faces of Indian reality television at the time.
Santanu Das is a Senior Content Producer at Hindustan Times with over 5 years of experience, writing on films, pop culture and film festivals. He has a keen interest in writing about South Asian independent films and has covered several film festivals, including Sundance and CPH: Docx. He also brings a sharp perspective to the monthly column called The Fault in Our Stars, where he writes about a recent film/series and what stops the ‘good’ from becoming ‘great’. A gold medalist from Banaras Hindu University, Santanu completed his postgraduate studies in English from Jadavpur University. He is also a Rotten Tomatoes-certified film critic. When not watching films or speaking to celebrities, Santanu can be found reading a book. Some of his favourite films are Aparajito, Ponyo and The Double Life of Veronique. His favourite books include The Corrections, The God of Small Things and A Room of One's Own. Santanu continues to write passionately about films and celebrity culture. He brings a relatable, as well as critically informed, lens to entertainment and culture for a wide audience. Find him on LinkedIn: santanudasfilm Instagram: @santupecha Read More
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