| Rex D'Souza is Fame Gurukul's self-styled rock star Qazi Touqeer's favourite co-contestant.
Qazi openly admits that Rex and he would make the ideal Fame Jodi. "I am a great performer-dancer, and Rex has a good voice. We will complement each other perfectly on stage. I am thin; he is not exactly thin — just the right contrast for each other!" I'm confident
Apart from Srinagar-based Qazi and his "cool-dude wisecracks", Mumbai's Rex is also a favourite of this Sony reality show's anchor Mandira Bedi, who wants him to reach the final stage.
"I am confident of making it to the final stage. I might just go mad if I make it," says 23-year-old Rex from the Gurukul. "We don't know what's happening in the outside world. Our universe has been the Gurukul for weeks." Qazi's too thin
Rex knows that Qazi has been extremely generous in his praise for him. "He has the audacity to call me haathi (elephant). And I have nicknamed him ganne ki dandi — he is so thin! Make that a twisted ganne ki dandi!" Genuine friend
Name games apart, Rex says that if he and Qazi make it as the Fame Jodi, they will have a blast and make everyone rock to their tunes. He points out that Qazi, is not at all bad at singing. "He is a natural performer. He has improved a lot. But above all, he is a good human being. What he says, he means.
When I was kept in probation in the Gurukul, he kept worrying about what was happening. When I returned, he wept! Viewers may think he is arrogant, but that's Qazi. He is genuine." Bedi ka noodle
About Bedi's kind words, he says, "I have been her fan since the World Cup days when we used to see her everyday, noodle straps and all. I am overjoyed that she wants me to be part of the Fame Jodi." Sang with Johny Lever
Rex, an Andheri resident, studied at St Anthony's High School and has done his SYJC from Patkar College.
"I will complete my graduation through correspondence. I have already done my SYBCom," he says. Rex began singing at every event and has been part of Johny Lever shows. "I am not a trained singer. I am grateful that I was given an opportunity to compete with people who have trained in classical music." Why Hindi music?
And finally, the one question that everyone asks him —what's a Catholic boy doing in the world of Hindi classical and popular music, and not western music? "I am always asked this. Why not Hindi music? It's also because my mother is Punjabi; I guess that influence has rubbed off on me." shaheen@mid-day.com | 
Anupamaa
