| Iqbal Khan
Was seen in: Kaisa Ye Pyaar Hai (Sony) and Kahiin To Hoga (Star Plus).
In the news for: Leaving his days as a struggling actor behind (after being a failure on the big screen with duds like Fun2shh and Bullet), Iqbal's hard work paid off big time with Balaji's Kaisa Ye Pyaar Hai. Unlike other actors from the stable, Iqbal was never heard complaining about shooting long hours. The actor's growing popularity even got him a role in another Balaji show, Kahiin To Hoga. Pawan Shankar
Was seen in: Siddhanth (Star One).
In the news for: At a time when actors love being splashed on screen in every other serial, Pawan followed his instincts by sticking to BAG films' Siddhanth. Did it pay off? Of course. Not only did he get critical recognition for his acting, but also succeeded in carving a niche for himself. However, it would do the actor good to move away from a serious role and take up something fun in the coming year.
Rajesh Kumar
Was seen in: Sarabhai v/s Sarabhai (Star One).
In the news for: Rajesh who? Going by how much audiences love his screen character, Rosesh, the actor is often referred to by his Sarabhai name in public. As the adorable mama's boy, Rajesh finally made a mark with a show that went down as one of the most popular comedies of 2005. Mona Wasu
Was seen in: Miilee (Star Plus).
In the news for: Even though this isn't her debut on television, Mona Wasu got noticed in 2005 Raman Kumar's Miilee.
Vocal about her dislike for stereotypical saas-bahu roles, Mona didn't try to be another Jassi.
Off screen, she was in the news for her blow-hot, blow-cold relationship with boyfriend Jitu Savlani. Shabbir Ahluwalia
Was seen in: Kahiin To Hoga (Star Plus) and Nach Baliye (Star One).
In the news for: A style icon? Ekta's blue-eyed boy? What was Shabbir Ahluwalia in 2005. To be honest, Shabbir was one actor who gained a lot of attention without consciously being in the limelight. After getting enough popularity as the unpredictable Rishi in KTH, Shabbir had another ace up his sleeve this year. The actor got ample appreciation as the host in Nach Baliye. Here's hoping Shabbu stays in the news next year as well — for the right reasons. Remix kids
Were seen in: Remix (Star One).
In the news for: Tia (Shweta Gulati), Ranveer (Karan Wahi), Yuvraj (Raj Singh Arora) and Anvesha (Priya Wal) were mobbed wherever they went. The success of the show sparked off imitators trying to ape the youth culture and target the same audience as Remix. However, they fell flat, while Remix continues to entertain. The music album of the show too proved to be a runaway hit. Badola and Rajeshwari
Were seen in: Apart from Nach Baliye, Rajeshwari was seen in Rihaee (Sony), Darna Mana Hai (Star One) and Varun appeared in Astitva — Ek Prem Kahaani, Rabba Ishq Na Hove (both on Zee).
In the news for: Even though they didn't win the competition, Varun-Rajeshwari turned out to be the most talked about couple of the year. In spite of Sachin-Supriya taking home the trophy, Varun and Rajeshwari turned out to be the surprise package of the show, with their amazing performances. Abhijeet Sawant
Was seen in: Indian Idol.
In the news for: The country's first Idol proved to a smashing hit, with the junta running to music stores to pick up his debut album. Interestingly, it didn't take much time for Abhijeet to get a makeover. The curly hair has been straightened and highlighted, while the glittering stud in his ear is hard to miss. Though his Bollywood debut in Aashiq Banaya Aapne as a playback singer didn't live up to expectations, his title track Mohabbate lutaunga, from his debut album, is still topping the charts. Qazi Touqeer
Was seen in: Fame Gurukul.
In the news for: If there was anyone this year whose care-a-damn attitude worked, it had to be Qazi Touqeer. Right from the beginning of the competition, Qazi labelled himself a natural born singer.
So it wasn't a surprise when the public voted for him and the judges swung in his favour, helping and saving him whenever he faltered. Apart from his singing, Qazi entertained the audience with his one-liners and cast a spell on everyone who witnessed him in action. thelist@mid-day.com | 
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