Srinagar, J & K : Kashmiri singer and performer Qazi Touqeer has entered the Bigg Boss 20 house making a much awaited return to the national entertainment scene nearly two decades after he shot to fame through the popular singing reality show Fame Gurukul.

Touqeer was introduced as the third contestant of the Bollywood Superstar Salman Khan hosted reality show during its grand premiere on Sunday. His entry has brought a familiar Kashmiri face back onto one of India’s most watched entertainment platforms.

A native of Srinagar Touqeer first rose to national prominence in 2005 after winning Fame Gurukul along with Ruprekha Banerjee. His performances on the show made him one of the recognisable faces of India’s early music reality television era.

Over the years Touqeer has worked across Kashmiri, Hindi and Urdu music and gained popularity for songs including Yeh Pal. His Fame Gurukul journey also has a connection with several other singers who went on to establish themselves in the Indian music industry including Arijit Singh.

Touqeer comes from a family with an association of art. His uncle,Qazi Rafi was also known as a Kashmiri singer.

Despite achieving considerable popularity at a young age Touqeer subsequently remained away from the mainstream entertainment spotlight for several years. His appearance on Bigg Boss 20 now provides him with an opportunity to reconnect with a nationwide audience while presenting a different side of his personality beyond his earlier identity as a singing reality show winner.

His participation is also significant for Jammu and Kashmir as another personality from the UT takes centre stage on a major national reality television platform.

Qazi Touqeer is not the first personality with roots in Jammu and Kashmir to appear on Bigg Boss. Over the years, several contestants from the UT have featured in the reality show and attracted substantial attention.

With Bigg Boss 20 premiering on September 6 and Salman Khan returning as host for the show’s landmark 20th season, Qazi Touqeer’s entry adds another Kashmiri name to the programme’s growing connection with Jammu and Kashmir. The current season features personalities from different fields, including acting, music, social media and sports.

Report by – Mudasir Maqbool