If you are one of the millions of Indians who sent mobile phone text messages to keep Qazi Tauqeer in the running for Sony Entertainment Television's hit reality show Fame Gurukul, you have a government decision and a family from Khanyar area of Srinagar to thank.
The government decision in 1998 -- to allow cable television in Kashmir -- gave the then 12-year-old Qazi a new obsession. And the family -- Quazi's -- helped the starry-eyed lad keep his musical dream alive within the confines of their 10-bedroom brick and wood house, shielding him from the terrorism's dance of death outside.
"He [Qazi] doesn't know anything about the world. He is obsessed with dancing and acting," says Rafi Qazi, his uncle and mentor, who registered his nephew's name for Fame Gurukul, prepared his portfolio and bought him a ticket to Delhi. In fact, when Qazi was part of the winning Fame Jodi (with Ruprekha Banerjee), he dedicated it to his uncle.
Qazi was obsessed with showbiz ever since he was a child. On his demand, his family fixed a huge mirror in his bedroom, so that he could practise his moves in front of it. And when he wanted a harmonium, they bought it for him even though his grandfather's income was only Rs 500.
"He knew he would make it big one day. The ambience in our home was such that he was allowed to pursue his passion," says Rafi.
When Qazi saw Abhijit Sawant become the Indian Idol, he said, 'Yeh to kuch bhi nahin [he is no match for me].' If any such competition came his way he vowed he would win.
Mohmmad Khalil, Quazi's 83-year-old retired government servant grandfather, used to tell him, 'Good guys study, educate themselves and only then the windows of world open up. Who is going to know you when you are dancing all the time within these four walls? You should get out of your bedroom.'
"He would reply, 'Dadaji, one day I will make it so big that I'll send you my car to pick you up,'" says a smiling Khalil.
Rafi says in the last three years, Qazi never slept at night. He would go to sleep at 7 am and wake up late in the afternoon because he would keep watching television, or keep his tapedeck on to practise dancing throughout the night.
Once, their neighbours complained that Qazi's dancing disturbed a newlywed couple in their home! Since the neighbours were their relatives too, they were advised to keep the windows tightly shut.
"Qazi's non-stop dancing damaged the wooden flooring of his bedroom. But we didn't scold him. We repaired the flooring, though it cost an arm and a leg," says Rafi.
As most of India knows by now, Qazi is not a trained singer. But that never stopped him from warbling in the bathroom. "But if he sang off key, I would shout, 'Qazi, tu besura ho raha hai [Qazi, you're going out of tune]," says the uncle, who was a singer himself. He didn't particularly know how to handle vowels.
"Qazi calls me 'oncle'," says Rafi.
Relatives' taunts -- that Qazi was not gainfully employed -- fell on deaf ears.
Qazi's mother Rukhsana is a schoolteacher. His father Mushtaq Ahmed was an advocate and legal advisor at the local United Nations office in Srinagar. Qazi was the apple of his grandma Amina Begum's eye.
"When he was a toddler I used to sing him so many Kashmiri songs. He always loved music and dance," says Amina. "He was very handsome. I never ever took him out because I thought some evil shadow would fall upon him."
Qazi, who was born June 4, 1986, was such a cute child that when he was three years old, a Canadian couple, who were passing his home, wrote down the address of his house and sent him a jumper.
Qazi would dance all the time, often bumping his limbs and head against the walls and windows. But children his age often ridiculed Qazi because he was different. At birthday parties, he would be neglected. Once, he was asked to keep away, because he was a 'weird child.'
Qazi's first love was cricket. He wanted to be like Rahul Dravid. He even went to Kolkata for a game. He also took up skiing and drama seriously.
That was when cable television came to Kashmir, and Qazi's life changed. He was hooked to songs and dances.
"He never went out to the streets. He was always glued to the television. Even when he was five years old he knew how to sing and dance. That hobby came alive with the arrival of cable television," says Rafi.
Qazi never took his studies seriously. He would just go through his books a few days before the exams and pass with 40 to 45 per cent marks.
Qazi's family is overwhelmed with the adulation their child has won with Fame Gurkul. Rafi records every single episode with a handycam.
"He will make it big if he opts for career in acting, but to sing he will have to take training first," admits Rafi.
When he asked Qazi to audition for All India Radio or any state level organisation, Qazi would run away. The lad would ask, 'Did Amitabh Bachchan appear for any test?'
Everyone in the family says Qazi never cared for money. He would not keep money for himself. Whenever he needed it he would ask for it from his parents or grandparents, mostly to buy tapes.
Qazi likes Paresh Rawal but not Johnny Lever. He thinks Kareena Kapoor looked great in a burkha in Dev. He loves the songs of Dosti and Jeene Ki Raah -- especially Aane se uske aayi bahar and Ehsan mere dil pe tumhara hai doston. And Ek pal ka jeena from Kaho Na... Pyar Hai is his favourite song.
He loves Shahi Kebab and roast chicken marinated in yoghurt. He keeps punctuating everything he says with 'Arre yaar.' And he can't cook. During his maiden venture into the kitchen he added sugar instead of salt to an omelette.
In one of the episodes of Fame Gurukul, Qazi said his only girlfriend is his grandma. Ask Rafi if Qazi goes out on dates and his uncle says, "Aisi ghatiya harkat woh nahin karta [He never stoops so low].
"We are happy about Qazi because he deserves it," Rafi adds.
"He has earned every bit of his success. Ours is a joint family and Qazi was always a very special child. But he is not as famous in Kashmir as he is in, say, Kolkata or Ahmedabad."
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