Qasim Akhtar interview: Zeedan discovers Rana's affair

Before Rana confesses, how does Zeedan feel that his and Rana’s relationship is going?
Zeedan has felt like it is been like any normal relationship; they’ve been getting on, nothing out of the ordinary. He has no suspicions at all. 

What happens when Zeedan finds Rana at the house?
Zeedan and Rana come in from Luke’s funeral so emotions are running high. Zeedan walks in and Rana is sat down, crying her eyes out on the sofa. Zeedan assumes it’s to do with Luke so he sits down to comfort her, telling her that they can all cry and be sad together. But Rana starts to talk about how much of a bad person she is, and he starts to say, “What are you talking about? What’s wrong?” She tells him that she is in love with somebody else. 

What is Zeedan’s reaction when she says those words?
Shock. And if anything he’s feeling disbelief; he doesn’t believe it at the beginning and he is trying to get his head around it. Rana doesn’t tell him who it is. 

Tell us what happens when Zeedan goes through Rana’s things.
Zeedan goes through Rana’s coat pockets and bag and finds this love note that has the Bistro post-it note logo on it so he automatically assumes that it’s from the Bistro so it must be Robert. He flies in to the Bistro and gets in to a scruff with Robert. He wants to beat him up. 

How does Zeedan feel when he suspects it is Robert who is having the affair with Rana?
He feels betrayed because this is someone who he has worked with closely in the kitchen for a long time. They have shared a lot of fun moments, a lot of good times and Robert is someone that Zeedan looks up to. Robert is someone that Zeedan would never expect to do something like this so, again, this is why Zeedan is so shocked when he thinks it is Robert.

How would Zeedan feel if he found out it was Kate?
He has no suspicions that it is a woman. It would be another blow to the chest and it would make things ten times worse!

Zeedan tries to drown his sorrows with a bottle of whiskey, has he ever drunk before?
No he has never had a drink before because it is against his religious beliefs and he doesn’t drink. But he gets to this point in his life where he feels like he has done the right thing his whole life and nothing seems to be working out for him so he decides to see what it is all about. He goes down the wrong path like a lot of people would do in his shoes. 

Is this a sign that Zeedan is at breaking point?
He’s been through so much in his life that some people could say that this will push him over the edge but the type of person that he is this also could make him stronger.

Rana’s affair aside, do you think that Zeedan and Rana were ever a good match?
I’m going to say no because when they first got together he just fancied her, he didn’t know much about her personality, what she was like, what kind of person she was... Rana was his sister’s friend who had just come from university. Everything happened so quickly and they got married because Zeedan wanted to do everything right. Zeedan may blame himself now because of that and he may cut Rana some slack because he will blame himself and take that on the chin... 

What was your reaction when you read these storylines?
I was excited. It’s always good to get your teeth in to a big storyline and I have really enjoyed filming these scenes. The emotional scenes were tough because, to get myself in to that emotional state, I had to really put my thought into that and imagine that I was in that position to really get the full emotion out of it. It was a good test of experience to be able to play that field, I’ve never done something like that before. 

What advice would you give Zeedan?
Move on, brother! There’s plenty more fish in the sea! No, realistically I would say time is a healer, everything takes time and he is not going to be okay straight away, he has to crack on with life. 

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Tvor @tvordlj on Twitter

#Kana, Yasmeen and my thoughts on current Corrie

(This post was originally posted by Flaming Nora on the Coronation Street Blog December 2017, reposted to this blog with permission.)


Guest blog post from Stephen Leach who is on Twitter: @sirterenceboot
Fancy writing a guest blog post for us? All details here!  

It’s been good to see the Nazir family given a bit more screen time in recent weeks. Lately, Yasmeen’s only function has been that of a glorified B&B landlady, offering spare rooms to all and sundry. Any more house guests and she’ll soon be giving Eileen a run for her money: it’s miraculous how the poky two-up two-down houses in Weatherfield seem to expand to accommodate families of nine.

Could Coronation Street finally be ready to acknowledge the existence of the elusive bisexual? Every time I think Rana’s about to utter the word something always seems to interrupt her. I’m sure that Kate and Rana’s affair could have been a relatively interesting plotline, it’s just that for the life of me I can’t think how. Honestly, it’s all so dull I can’t even remember how many people have found out about them both. Will the whole sordid affair be revealed soon? Back in the day this sort of storyline might have gone on and on for months, but such is the breakneck pace of the show right now that I expect that the whole thing will be all done and dusted by Valentine’s Day. Personally, I think it’d be a refreshing twist if, instead of the inevitable row, Zeedan and Rana invite Kate to live with them and the situation turns into a ménage á trois. What? Stranger things have happened.


Perhaps Zeedan will decide to beat Rana at her own game and begin a torrid affair with Sean. It could make for an interesting story, and let’s face it, Sean’s certainly in need of one of those. He hasn’t had anything meaningful to do for years: he only seems to appear at the bar of the Rovers once every other week, performing his trademark over-the-shoulder tea-towel flick and pouring the occasional pint. He’s such a non-entity right now that I doubt they’ll even bother to think of a reason to write him out once he starts appearing in Dancing on Ice next month, but you never know: perhaps his son in That London will conveniently fall ill and he’ll be forced to visit.

Speaking of people leaving, Anna Windass is on her way out (is it too much to hope that she’ll take Faye with her?). Perhaps Phelan won’t end up killing her after all and she’ll manage to escape into the sunset to reunite with Eddie in Germany, but I doubt it. The writers seem determined to make her exit storyline as harrowing as possible, to the point where it’s quite possible her final scenes will have her crawling around on bloody stumps looking for a bag of Immodium.

Corrie has always been a show with great villains, but Phelan’s starting to feel more than a little overpowered: he seems to have a crime network set up across Manchester that would make the Joker envious. (If anyone knows where he finds all those lads willing to carry out his evil deeds for him, do drop me a line.) I think his time on the show might finally be nearing its end – but on the other hand, maybe he should stay. If there’s one thing more frightening than Phelan on the rampage, it’s the thought of Eileen Grimshaw as a single woman once again.

Guest blog post from Stephen Leach who is on Twitter: @sirterenceboot

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Tvor @tvordlj on Twitter

5 Corrie couples who shouldn't be together

(This post was originally posted by Flaming Nora on the Coronation Street Blog October 2017, reposted to this blog with permission.)

There are couples I love on Coronation Street such as Tim and Sally, Johnny and Jenny, Newton and Ridley. And then there are those who, for this fan, just don't work. This doesn't mean that I don't love the individual characters but when they've been put together with, for me, the wrong person, it falls flat and they have no chemistry on screen. You may well disagree and I'd love to hear from you in the comments.  Here then, are my five least favourite couples on Coronation Street.

Toyah and Peter. I've written before about how much I love Georgia Taylor as an actress and how much I enjoy Toyah on screen.  But where's the feisty, fighting Toyah that we knew and loved from back in the Battersby days? Where's the drive and determination gone? Remember when she wanted to be a journalist, an eco-warrier with Spider? Now, that drive and determination has gone into her IVF and baby-making plans, she is consumed by it and it's become dull.  She and Peter have zero chemistry and neither of them look comfortable behind the Rovers bar. Bring back Spider for Toyah. Carla's coming back - will she take up with Peter again? And finally, bring back Liz to the Rovers for us all.

The only good thing about Anna and Kevin together is that Debbie Rush is leaving the show and their relationship will soon be over. Kevin's a Corrie legend, king of the bomber jacket. Anna's the required Street harpie. Apart they're fantastic. Together? Dull as ditchwater.

Oh, please don't hate me when I say that Billy and Todd shouldn't be together. I love watching these two as a couple, I really love it. But I want them to split up before Todd breaks Billy's heart, which he surely will one of these days.  That's the only reason I don't think they should be together because with these two, pain and heartbreak is just an episode away.

I'm going to say it and I'm going to say it loud. I LOVE Kym Marsh in Coronation Street. She's a fantastic actress and her character has grown in leaps and bounds over the years. She deserves every award going for the baby Ruari storyline which broke my heart in a million pieces. Michelle divorcing Steve made sense but putting her together with Robert Preston was a mistake of the highest order. The man is far too boring for someone as bright and sparky as Michelle. He dulls her light, split them up, please Corrie, and let her sparkle again.

And finally, Zeedan and Rana Nazir. She likes girls, Zee, and she's just not that into you. Dump her, get into your Speed Dahl van and drive far, far away.

Agree? Disagree? Let me know what you think.

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Tvor @tvordlj on Twitter

How Do You Solve a Problem Like the Nazirs?

(This post was originally posted by Flaming Nora on the Coronation Street Blog June 2017, reposted to this blog with permission.)

Guest blog post by Glenn Meads who is on Twitter and LinkedIn
You can read all of Glenn's guest blog posts here.
Fancy writing a guest blog post for us? All details here!   

When the Nazirs were first introduced three years ago, expectations were high. Not just in terms of Muslim representation in a mainstream soap, but also because the family set-up seemed interesting.

Kal was killed off and that gave the family more drama to contend with. And we witnessed some first class acting from Shelley King, as the matriarch, Yasmeen. Then Marc Anwar was sacked, and since then, there has not been much for this family to do.

So, how do you solve a problem like the Nazirs?

1. Get Alya more involved in Underworld. She has a good job, but we barely see her do it. She has the makings of a cut throat Carla Connor, if we saw her at work.

2. Zeedan has a great sense of humour. Let's see more of it. I like this character, as he has evolved, since he first skulked onto the street. But, if Alya must be the bad girl, Zeedan needs to laugh and joke more.

3. Yasmeen needs more scenes with Roy and a storyline. Shelley King can act, so give the actress something to do. Her scenes with Roy used to be superb. We need more of them, and she needs a challenging story arc.

4. Let's see the family's friends. They would mix with other people outside of the street, so let's see them and how they interact with more than Rita.

5. Give Zee a wandering eye, even if it never comes to fruition. He began the show as a bit of a wide boy. Now, all he does is fret about his chunky chips.

6. Integrate the family more. They are on the street, but not in the street. They need to be immersed. And the only way is to do this, is by developing friendships, to enable this family to interact.

7. Give them some conflict. They need something to play off. Drop the Tracy feud, it's boring; create a new one!

8. Rana has a big storyline coming up. Good job, as she has become like Steph;  a cypher for more interesting characters. I hope this new storyline does her justice.

I know many would rather this family left the cobbles behind. But, I think we have a strong cast here, but they are not being stretched and on paper, these characters could create some fireworks.

Glenn Meads

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Tvor @tvordlj on Twitter

Van-tastic Services in Coronation Street

(This post was originally posted by Flaming Nora on the Coronation Street Blog May 2017, reposted to this blog with permission.)

Finally Zeedan is getting a storyline, and about time too. He's become a man with a plan and a van, offering his Speed Dahl street food service to the residents of Coronation Street.  

It's time then to take a tasty look back at some of the other residents who have offered van-tastic services in Coronation Street.

I hope Zeedan has better luck than Tyrone did. Tyrone's burger van ended up on fire after he forgot to turn the oven off. To extinguish the flames he had to drive the van into the lake.

What is it with vans on fire in the Street? Jason's went up in flames too. You can watch the scene here.

 Michael Rodwell's ice-cream van, with which the ex-con wooed Gail with his 99.

The Underworld van is often pressed into service, especially for location shoots where something nefarious goes on.

And the Bistro van, in which Nick had his crash. Crashes, fires... I hope Zeedan knows what he's getting into!

 And let's not forget Graeme Proctor's meals on a different kind of wheels service

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Tvor @tvordlj on Twitter

What Zeedan Knows

(This post was originally posted by Flaming Nora on the Coronation Street Blog January 2016, reposted to this blog with permission.)

Another great guest blog post from Coronation Street fan Rob Coates.  Rob recently wrote for us In Praise of Steve McDonald.

This time Rob writes about Zeedan Nazir and his words are poetic.

What Zeedan Knows
With that constant scowling look, Zeedan Nazir definitely Knows Something.
What he knows, nobody knows.
Even when he has nothing to know, he definitely Knows Something.
But what could it be that he Knows?
Perhaps he Knows how a constantly empty kebab shop manages to produce an increase in profits.
Perhaps he Knows that Rita is planning on charging an extra five pence per quarter of Midget Gems.
Perhaps he Knows the reason why Kevin doubled the size of the garage without needing to take on any extra staff.
So, I imagine, as Qasim Akhtar steps from his dressing room - make-up ladies flitting about him applying last-minute touches of powder to his face - as his long, flowing fur coat is removed gently from his shoulders, he steps on set.
His brow sufficiently furrowed, eyes narrowed and his lips thinner than Eva's waist, the director sees he is ready and shouts "action!"
Because in this scene, there is something that Zeedan Knows.
What does he Know?
We may never know.





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Wednesday Corrie wrapped up

The episode only lasted 30 minutes but it was a real mix of lovely things and "wait, what?" moments, too.

We've finally seen the end of the Caz storyline and I bow down in thanks to the Soap Gods for that. It was consistent, I'll say that for it. This story has been full of plot holes. We've mentioned this before and they continued to mount up right to the last episode. Kate conveniently connected a camera purchase to one Caz made in the past for a mate in the army and instantly knew it was in the flat (where the police didn't find it but where Caz had no trouble picking it up off a shelf or something) and she took the leap that Caz was probably watching so she played into it and lured Caz to the flat.

Aidan and then the police showed up almost instantaneously which surprised me  after they left Aidan waiting at the factory the other day for a very long time. They wouldn't believe him any more today than they did then. Caz has finally been dragged away and I bet that snotty police detective never apologizes to everyone for giving them such a hard time. Maria's out of prison but with the next legal battle hanging over her head, she's not particularly happy. I don't think they'll send her to prison twice, though I could be wrong. Beth didn't have to go to jail for deliberately committing bigamy so maybe Maria will be joining her on the community beautification program.

Zeedan and Rana are wed and the morning after they're more concerned with getting some of Yasmeen's jewelry back than basking in the afterglow of their first physical encounter, something they've been dancing around for months. This would likely be Zeedan's first sexual experience. Either he spent the night distracted by wondering "where did you learn *that*?" or miffed that she had to show him what to do but they certainly didn't act like they spent the night in honeymoon heaven. There wasn't a giggle or a cup of tea in bed...nothing.  Mind you, they probably spent it with Grandmother in the next room so it was probably a bit low key.

With the very short time frame between their engagement and wedding that didn't nearly happen, I'm not surprised they haven't talked about when to have children. At the tender age of 21 (Zeedan) and approximately 23 (Rana, as Alya's friend would be a little older than him), and considering that they've only known each other under a year, they barely know each other. Zeedan's premarital wobbles were probably justified. Then Rana went running for the birth control pills, stolen from the (probably) sample cabinet at the health centre when she's probably already taking them. I don't get why she'd have to steal more of them, just make sure she gets her prescription renewed. I didn't need to be clubbed over the head with that one, all we had to do was see her looking at the package of pills in her handbag which is stupid, too, and contrived, because nobody I know carries them around in their bags but at least it's legal! I don't see this lasting a lifetime, do you?

Tyrone has invited Freddie back to be their lodger, assuring him that Fiz and the kids miss him and would love to have him back full time. On the surface, that's a lovely gesture. In reality, he did it without asking Fiz and that might not go down quite so well. Also, isn't that where Alya is kipping at the moment? It must be like Euston Station at rush hour in there at the moment. I like Freddie, and I'm glad he is going to be in the show for the foreseeable.

Mary has had a health crisis and Erica was right there by her side supporting her. I think that's lovely. Mary might not believe the doctor and want a further test to make sure and that's her right. I might feel the same way if I found a lump that wasn't there before. There's something else going on with Mary, though, and I'm looking forward to the rest of her story.

I'm really glad they're working Mary further into the fabric of the street. When she first turned into a permanent character, she lived in a motor home and her whole world seemed to be only Rita and Norris. Roy and Hayley were stuck on but that was a contentious relationship at first. Then they struck gold by putting her with the Alahans after Sunita died and she really came into her own. She has a home now with people who depend on her. She and Erica had a rocky start because she felt threatened by Erica's presence in her domestic world but they have grown to be good friends and it really works. Now that the twins need her a little less, they've added Tracy Barlow into the mix and it has been a genius move. She's really only a little older than Tracy but seems to have taken on the role of a quasi-mother/big sister. She still helps out in the Kabin and the cafe when her friends need her and she still entertains us with her quirky, wonderful stories. Patti Claire has really impressed me of late.



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Zeedan to burst soap bubble?

(This post was originally posted by Emma Hynes on the Coronation Street Blog in November 2015, reposted with permission.)

It was interesting, but not surprising, to hear Zeedan express a wish to move on from the gym on Friday’s Corrie, when we promptly saw the managerial mantle pass to Gary.

Zeedan has fast become one of my favourite characters on the street at the moment. His development from a sullen, almost disdainful young man, into an intelligent, considerate, capable, respectful and responsible individual provides us with a great role model and an interesting character who is infinitely watchable thanks to the talents of Qasim Akhtar.

Like all of us, Zeedan is not perfect, and his momentary lapses ensure his complexity. Look no further than his attempt to vandalise Barlow's Buys on finding out Tracy started the fire which killed his father, and his altercation with Jason when the news broke that he had slept with Alya. The important thing about both instances was that he could be reasoned with and talked out of doing any damage.

The finest example of his positive traits, which far outweigh any negative ones, can be found in the support he continues to offer Leanne and his investment in Simon. In addition, his desire to honour his father’s memory by doing sterling work at the gym, and the manner in which he didn’t allow his initial anger at and disappointment in Alya to prevent him from comforting her, offering his support, and reassessing his initial perceptions of what she had done, showed great strength of character.

The question now is, where does Zeedan go from here?

My personal hope is that he honours his potential while remaining on the street. This would involve him breaking the mould and working or studying elsewhere, but returning home in the evenings and/or weekends. 

To be honest, I can’t understand why this isn’t the case for more characters. I know the various businesses need people behind their counters, but we did have a rare instance where Deirdre worked for the Council, and to my recollection, we never saw any scenes filmed there. Nor was the drama the poorer for it; we barely noticed. If anything, talk of somewhere ‘untelevised’ enhanced the realism; how many of us have any personal knowledge of the workplaces our friends and loved ones speak of, aside from their descriptions of them?

I like the fact that filming restricts itself to the street and its environs, with on-location shoots in the vast minority, but there's no reason why its characters can't temporarily inhabit other places.

The most fitting tribute to a character of Zeedan’s quality would be to see him spend his days elsewhere fulfilling his potential while at the same time enriching the street while he’s home with news of beyond its parameters, and his interactions with neighbours, friends and family. This is not to say he would be deprived of a storyline of his own; in our own lives, we find ourselves negotiating plenty of situations outside of work or university.

I think it would be a great loss to the programme if Zeedan’s desire for more meant he had to leave the street, like so many before him. In the wake of The Guardian asking why there aren’t more graduates on Corrie, and Scott’s excellent 2013 post on how young cobble-based folk attempting to better themselves do so at their peril, let Zeedan be the one who bursts this soap bubble.

By Emma Hynes
www.emmahynes.wordpress.com
Twitter: @ELHynes




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Why the Nazirs are no longer the nadir of Weatherfield

(This post was originally posted by Clinkers (David) on the Coronation Street Blog in November 2015, reposted with permission.)

Is any one character universally loved on t'cobbles? Probably not although Roy Cropper must come perilously close to getting a group hug from the assembled fandom. Something he would hate. There are certainly firm favourites - Liz, Rita and Carla are beloved by many. In the dim and distant past I loved Bet and Minnie. I also took a shine, worryingly, to Renee Bradshaw. Early-version Gail plus her cohorts Tricia and later Suzie could do no wrong in my eyes.

Conversely, I've never cared for Emily all that much. I'm no big fan of Rita, never really 'got' Janice Battersby and loathed Mike 'packet of my cigars' Baldwin for two decades. A year ago, I would have added the Nazirs to the list. Initially they seemed to be yet another 'en masse' family flop and I was expecting them to be jammed into the Corrie cupboard alongside the Claytons, the Mortons and Beth's short-lived relations. Kal was an unrealistic gym instructor. They may as well have stuck Michael in lycra. Yasmeen always seemed to be projecting to the back row of a 2000 seat theatre, Sharif went from business mogul to hen farmer in a matter of weeks and Zeedan was a scowling bag of resentment. Ok, so the latter is a work in progress. Only Alya, bright as a button, seemed likely to be with us for the long haul.

How things have changed. Yasmeen has mellowed and although she hasn't lost her spark, her nurturing and caring side has emerged, particularly since Kal's death. Sharif has settled in nicely, hens conveniently forgotten and Zeedan proved to be a good friend to Leanne when she needed one most. Given upcoming storylines, she may well need that particular shoulder to cry on again before long.

Which leaves us with Alya. Corrie has once again worked its particular kind of 'magic' on a young woman and has drained her of any interest. It's happened before. Maria went from frumpy kennel maid, to vamp, to psycho mummy in the space of a decade. Sophie morphed from 'girl most likely to make something of herself' to mumbling dullard. Becky yo-yo'd between numerous personalities until we were all worn out and didn't care any more. Dear, dead old Tina journeyed from lovable barmaid to young fogey, helped along by dreary Tommy Duckworth and Tyrone's perpetual hangdog face. Now it's poor old Alya's turn. The engagement to Gary Windass was odd and clunky. They never seemed like an actual couple. Alya's one-off descent into drink and a little afternoon delight with Jason were uncomfortable storylines. Her burgeoning career at Underworld has been snuffed out by the many Connors and she now shuffles around the shop floor with a clipboard or hovers in the doorway waiting for the command to make something with 'two sugars love'.

For me then, the Nazirs can stay. I like them. Give Alya the positive lift she needs and you never know, I may even end up loving them.

David Bridgman (twitter @bridglondon)



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Why I'm a big fan of Zeedan

(This post was originally posted by Graeme N on the Coronation Street Blog in September 2015, reposted with permission.)


I freely admit it, one member of the Nazir family has grown on me more than all the rest. I have developed a massive soft spot for Zeedan. Before I go on any further, I do admit that this is in part down to the fact he's a fine looking, strapping young man but it goes far beyond that.

At first I really disliked the character. He was sullen, difficult and annoying. Of course that was what the writers were going for and both they and Qasim Akhtar succeeded. He was the last member of the Nazirs to arrive on screen and Corrie has a history of family units arriving en masse and not fitting in. Although the Nazir family have a long way to go before they become part of the Corrie furniture, I hope they do stay around for the foreseeable.

Zeedan was obviously a troubled young man, mainly due to his father's choice of career in the army and the death of his mother. This caused most of the conflict with Kal's new girlfriend Leanne, who's shady past really didn't help matters. I admit I became a bit bored of all the hate flying around in this storyline as sadly we never had the time to drill down into the dynamics of the father son relationship. I did wonder about the longterm future of Zeedan if that was how he was going to be however things have fortunately changed for the better.

I know soap characters frequently have personality transplants and the whole thing is completely unbelievable but in Zeedan's case I think it has been a gradual, sympathetic process that has worked well. The death of his father has obviously affected him profoundly and this has made him a much more palatable character. I've started to really enjoy his appearances and hope we see a lot more of him. He has taken on his father's job at the gym out of respect and is obviously really loyal to his family.

What I really like though, is the thawing of the relationship with Leanne. He has promised to look out for her and the scenes with both Leanne and Simon have been very natural and well played. We knew Zeedan would be the first to discover Leanne's abuse at the hands of Simon and the scenes in Friday's episodes were terrific. I hope Zeedan and Leanne continue to bond, but please writers do not put them together romantically! Let's have a platonic friendship between a man and a woman for a change. It does happen!

Qasim Akhtar is proving himself to be a great addition to the Coronation Street cast. He is doing an excellent job as Zeedan and I hope we see him in many more storylines in the months and years ahead. 

You can follow me on Twitter @GraemeN82 




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