Singer Arijit Singh publicly cheered on Bigg Boss 20 contestant Qazi Touqeer this week, posting on X that he'll watch Bigg Boss for the first time in his life because his old friend and Fame Gurukul co-contestant is inside the house. The two singers' connection dates back more than two decades, to when they competed against each other on the same reality show in 2005.
What actually happened between Arijit Singh and Qazi Touqeer in 2005?
Both singers appeared together on Fame Gurukul, a singing reality show that aired in 2005, long before either became widely known outside music circles. Qazi Touqeer won that season alongside runner-up Ruprekha Banerjee, while Arijit Singh's own run on the show ended in sixth place, well short of the final. Two decades on, the gap in mainstream fame between the two is enormous — Arijit has become one of the most streamed playback singers in the country, while Qazi built a smaller but genuine legacy of his own, including recording the record-breaking track "Afghan Jalebi" for the 2015 film Phantom.
What did Arijit Singh actually say?
Posting on X, Arijit wrote that he'd have to watch Bigg Boss for the first time in his life because his rockstar Qazi is in the house — a short, warm message rather than a lengthy tribute. The post quickly circulated across entertainment outlets, less for what it said than for what it represented: a major mainstream artist publicly acknowledging an old reality-show rival with genuine affection rather than the usual distance that tends to open up between former competitors whose careers took very different paths afterward.
Has their friendship actually continued since 2005, or is this new?
By most accounts, this isn't a rekindled connection — it's a continued one. Earlier this year, Qazi reportedly visited Arijit's hometown of Jiaganj in West Bengal, where the two were seen riding around on a scooter, meeting locals, and playing cricket together. Qazi has spoken about Arijit warmly in past interviews too, describing him as a genius who's remained free of jealousy or insecurity despite his level of success — the kind of comment that reads less like promotional friendliness and more like an actual long-running friendship that happened to become publicly visible again because of Bigg Boss.
Why is Qazi already standing out on Bigg Boss 20?
Qazi Touqeer's presence in the house has become one of season 20's early talking points in its own right, separate from the Arijit connection. Clips of him singing, getting into disagreements with other contestants, and reportedly keeping housemates up at night have circulated widely since the season began. His catchphrase from inside the house — a self-declared "rockstar" introduction — has also picked up traction online, giving him a recognizable identity early in a season that's already produced plenty of house drama among the wider contestant pool.
Fellow contestant Uditi Singh added another small piece to the story too, revealing during an episode that she'd actually voted for Qazi back during his original Fame Gurukul run in 2005 — a detail that's added a layer of genuine nostalgia to his season 20 storyline beyond just the Arijit connection. For a show whose cast usually leans on manufactured drama and quickly formed alliances, a contestant arriving with two decades of real, documented history already attached is a fairly unusual starting point.
What does this story say about how reality TV alumni stay connected?
There's something worth noting in how differently this reunion reads compared to a typical Bigg Boss guest appearance or shout-out. Most celebrity support for a contestant tends to arrive as a promotional gesture — a quick message timed to a show's premiere, often from someone with only a loose connection to the person they're supporting. Arijit's post reads differently precisely because the relationship predates either singer's fame, and because it's been maintained quietly in the years since, away from any reality show cameras, rather than being manufactured for this specific moment. That distinction is part of why the story traveled as far as it did this week.
For the bigger picture on how this season's cast and voting process work, see our Bigg Boss 20 premiere guide and our voting explainer.
