"I cried every night during Fame Gurukul "

A month before he became the cynosure of all eyes on 20 October 2005 as part of Sony's Fame Jodi, Qazi Tauqeer appeared to be someone who was there just to have a good time, not caring much for the final prize on offer. Three months since, it's a different Qazi - mellowed, more mature and....a trifle morose too. What started as a simple chat with Tellychakkar.com's Ananya Sengupta, turned out to be the most moving tete-a-tete thus far, of the young man who made history by claiming the most number of public votes on Indian television. "I will never do television" I always wanted to be an actor. That's my ultimate aim. I read in the newspapers that I am supposed to be doing 40 episodes of Kaisa Ye Pyar Hai and I was shocked! I have never met Ekta Kapoor, the Sony guys had called me and I assumed that it would be a cameo to promote my music album! I don't want to do television...ever! "No one is your friend in this world..." Fame Gurukul has taught me that no one is your friend! Look at what Arijit did to Shamit! See, none of the contestants wanted to be a jodi with me! But later, when they found out that I was the favourite, they changed their behaviour completely...I was shocked! In today's world, I have learnt that one can't depend on anybody! And this is true not only of Gurukul, but every place. The Gurukul experience has taught me a lot and it's helping in my life now. "I don't even know where Ruprekha lives in Mumbai" I share a very professional relationship with Ruprekha. I don't know where she lives in Mumbai, and I am sure she doesn't know where I live. I am also on just 'Hi-hello' terms with Rex. I meet Ruprekha on stage and we decide what to sing and perform, after that it's bye bye time! We are not together 24 hours! Sometimes we don't agree on things, and sometimes she says that she wants to do something that I don't want to do, but I try to cooperate! Ruprekha was one of them who didn't want to be paired with me as a jodi, but when she said otherwise on the show, I was very shocked! "Everybody was against me!" Right from the beginning of the show, I was very different. I performed, and said what I wanted to on stage. The others thought that was a gimmick! But see, now shows like Sa Re Ga Ma Pa (Zee TV) are also doing the same. You can see for yourself the changes in the show. They have incorporated a lot of reality -- talking about sick parents and crying on stage...but when I spoke out on Fame...I was criticised, sab mere against the (Everybody was against me). But the love of the audience keeps me going...and my self confidence and the spirit and passion that I have inside me has made me what I am today. "No one has tolerated as much pressure as I have" I have cried inside, each time I was in the danger zone! But no one came to know on stage. There I would always laugh....we were on camera 24 hours, and despite all criticism, I kept a confident facade on stage. It was difficult. No one has been as stressed as I was then! "I miss Kashmir" Living in Mumbai is not difficult, I have stayed in other places and my dad also has been travelling a lot, but I miss Kashmir. Wahan ke logon ki badi yaad aati hai! (I miss the people of Kashmir a lot). Not that I can't go even now for three or four days, but the work schedule is such that I can't manage. Nothing's like Kashmir...... "He who succeeds despite his problems, is a true artiste" When I see the Sa Re Ga Ma Pa show, I really think that if they cannot take the pressure because they choose to quit! Perhaps they should! It's all about taking the pressure and going on...An artiste's mother might be sick at home, but on stage he has to perform...that's the mark of a true artiste.