'I've never had a girlfriend'
Qazi Touqeer, 20, from Kashmir
My mother Rukhsana is a government school teacher. My brother Tauseef is studying in class XI. My father M A Qazi was a lawyer and also ran an engineering college. But he gave up everything for Sufism. We live in a joint family.
I was doing my first year BSc [bachelor of science] in Srinagar. I used to play cricket, and my parents spent a lot of money on that. Then, I told them I wanted to be an actor and a singer. They thought I had gone mad!
When I heard about Fame Gurukul, I told my mother that if I don't qualify in the Delhi auditions, I would never go back to Srinagar; I would stay in Delhi. We have a house there. That's the kind of passion I have for acting. I am a performer. Now, I have reached this stage and I'm very happy.
Some day, I hope to be in a movie in which I will sing and act as well. Like Kishore Kumar and Sonu Nigam. Actually, maybe better than Sonu Nigam.
If I don't make it to the Fame Jodi, so what? They will become stars, I will be a superstar!
People love me so much that Javed [Akhtar] saab said that I have a big responsibility on my shoulders. The number of votes that I get is unbelievable. People tell me I have made a record on reality television. I don't feel any pressure. I just want to perform for masti and for the janta. They have brought me here, and I want to perform for them.
But I want to complete my education because in my family, everybody is educated. My father's sister is a bank manager, my aunt is a lecturer, my cousin is a doctor.
I am very naughty. I had nicknamed Sandeep Batra [a contestant who was eliminated in an earlier round] 'Leechi' because he was asking for leechi juice in front of the camera!
There was another occasion when once, the police confronted some friends on the road. I went to the police station and told them that my father was justice so-and-so. They were so scared that they gave me tea and Samosas.
I've watched 27 movies in a month. I saw Veer-Zaara seven times in a week! Then, I started acting like Shah Rukh Khan for days. I am mad about films.
I've never had a girlfriend. But yes, once I had a crush on a girl in Srinagar. I proposed to her but she thought I was a nikamma. I don't have a crush on any girl in the Gurukul, roti ki kasam!
I miss everyone at home -- my father, my mother, my dada, my dadi, everyone. I miss the food, I miss Dal Lake, I miss the cold weather and clean and cold water. I miss my friends. I think Kashmir is paradise.
Mumbai is also good but for the three months we have been here we didn't go out. I won't call it a prison because we are learning something here.
To reach this position has not been easy. But if you are passionate about something, you can do it. I'm speaking for myself. I worship three idols in my life -- Rabindranath Tagore, Amitabh Bachchan and Shah Rukh Khan because these people have struggled and come up from the bottom and reached a certain position.
My favourite contestant is Rex. He's everybody's favourite!
