| Zainab Masood | |||||||||||
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| EastEnders character | |||||||||||
| Portrayed by | Nina Wadia | ||||||||||
| Created by | Diederick Santer | ||||||||||
| Duration | 2007— | ||||||||||
| First appearance | 16 July 2007 | ||||||||||
| Classification | Present; regular | ||||||||||
| Spin-off appearances | EastEnders: E20 (2010–11) "East Street" (2010) |
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| Profile | |||||||||||
| Date of birth | 24 November 1962 | ||||||||||
| Occupation | Post Office owner (until 2008) Caterer (since 2008) Restaurateur (2010–11) Shop assistant (2011) |
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Zainab Khan (previously Masood) is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by comedienne Nina Wadia.[2] She made her first appearance on 16 July 2007. Zainab is the mother of Syed (Marc Elliott), Shabnam (Zahra Ahmadi), Tamwar (Himesh Patel) and Kamil Masood (Arian Chikhlia). She is the wife of Masood Ahmed (Nitin Ganatra) and later Yusef Khan (Ace Bhatti) who abuses her.
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Born and raised in Pakistan, Zainab brought shame upon her family after she had an affair with Masood Ahmed (Nitin Ganatra) while married to Yusef Khan (Ace Bhatti). As punishment, Zainab was set on fire by Yusef's family. Masood rescued her and she divorced her husband to marry Masood, joining him in the UK, where they had three children, Syed (Marc Elliott), Shabnam (Zahra Ahmadi) and Tamwar (Himesh Patel). Family members still treated Zainab with contempt however, particularly her brother-in-law Inzamam Ahmed (Paul Bhattacharjee). Inzamam pestered her to sleep with him for years: he considered her a "fallen woman". The Masoods ran their own business until 2004, when Syed stole from the family, nearly bankrupting them. Masood initially took the blame and banished him from their lives to save Zainab's feelings. The Masoods decided on a career change, working in the postal service.
Zainab arrives as the owner of Walford's Post Office,[3] clashing with employee Denise Wicks (Diane Parish) immediately, though this later turns to friendship. The post office flounders in debt, and Zainab turns to Inzamam for a loan, but he wants sex in return for the money, which disgusts her. Despite the Masoods' best efforts, they are forced to close the post office; Zainab struggles to cope with the embarrassment and deceives the community, blaming the council for the post office's closure. The community demonstrates to keep it open on her behalf until Zainab reluctantly admits the truth. As well as this, daughter Shabnam decides to leave Walford in October 2008 to travel in Pakistan. The Masoods attempt to turn their fortunes around, starting a catering business. Ian Beale (Adam Woodyatt) invests £2000 and the company merges with Ian and Christian Clarke's (John Partridge) catering company, becoming "Masala Queen", and Zainab is elected as manager. Problems emerge when money goes missing and Zainab suspects her husband, thinking he has done this before. Tamwar admits taking the money – lending it to his older brother, Syed. Masood reveals that Syed's actions are why he left the family; he had stolen money from the family business and is continuing to do so. Despite this, Zainab contacts Syed and meets him away from Walford, making Masood think she is having an affair. However, the truth is revealed, and Syed moves to Albert Square. Zainab becomes pregnant, and starts planning Syed's wedding to his fiancée, Amira Shah (Preeya Kalidas). As the family are short of money, Masood seeks a loan from Inzamam. He visits, bringing the money and his family, but Zainab is unhappy about them being there. Masood confronts her in the kitchen, and she reveals that he has been pestering her to sleep with him for years. Disgusted, Masood gives Inzamam his money back and throws him out, telling him never to return.
Christian pulls out from organising the wedding with the family. Zainab wants to know what is wrong with him, and confronts him, thinking he is infatuated with her son. Christian tells her that Syed is gay and they have been seeing each other. Zainab then confronts her son, and orders him to marry Amira anyway, which he does. After Syed and Amira return from their honeymoon, Syed tells Zainab he cannot pretend for the rest of his life as it is not fair on Amira. However, Zainab forcefully persuades her son to continue his marriage. Zainab gives birth to her son, Kamil, but the family's joy is short-lived as Amira discovers Syed's affair with Christian, and Syed comes out to his friends and family. Amira leaves, and Chrisitan's sister, Jane Beale (Laurie Brett) reveals to Masood that Zainab knew about the affair since before the wedding. Masood and Zainab argue, and he packs her belongings and physically throws her out. The couple reconcile, however, and Syed moves back into the family home. However he eventually reunites with Christian, and Masood and Zainab cut off their son again. However, when a fire breaks out at The Queen Victoria public house, Zainab helps Syed to get out safely. Tamwar starts seeing Afia Khan (Meryl Fernandes) and her father, Yusef, turns up and shocks Zainab as he is her ex-husband whose family set her on fire. He reveals he tried to save her life and he came to make peace, but Masood attacks him and throws him out. Masood discovers that Zainab is planning to buy the Argee Bhajee restaurant against his wishes. She continues to defy Masood, and proceeds with her bid for the restaurant. She is successful, but only after paying an inflated price for it. After his initial anger at the purchase, Masood forgives Zainab.
Tamwar invites Afia to the opening of the Argee Bhajee, leaving Zainab shocked. However, she and Masood agree to let Tamwar see Afia in the hope it will fizzle out. When Tamwar and Afia says they are in love, Yusef blesses them to marry, which Zainab and Masood are very displeased about. Zainab is then forced to accept Afia including Yusef to the family. Zainab is annoyed to learn that Yusef is the new Walford GP, and that he and Denise are seeing each other. Following an argument, Tamwar and Afia marry in secret, and at their mangni (engagement party), Syed attends and Zainab and Masood say he is not welcome. The roof then collapses, after a warning from Greg Jessop (Stefan Booth) that the building is unsafe, and Syed is hit by a falling beam and knocked unconscious. Yusef offers Zainab money to pay off their debts with Phil Mitchell (Steve McFadden), with whom Masood took out a loan. Patrick Trueman (Rudolph Walker) offers Zainab a job in his shop, which she accepts. When Zainab confronts Masood over the loan with Phil, he says he is working for Phil by gambling in poker games. This angers Zainab as Masood had previously sworn that he would never gamble again, as lost family money to gambling many years ago. Yusef urges Zainab to talk to Syed, and she starts visiting him. Masood finds out, and Zainab and Masood argue about trust and Yusef. She then accepts Yusef's offer of a loan. Masood finds the cheque from Yusef and asks Zainab to destroy it, saying he will find the money, so she does. When bailiffs arrive, Masood and Zainab hide from them. Masood and Zainab reconcile, realising they love each other. Syed then falls out with his parents again because they refuse to accept Christian as his partner. Zainab laters meets her imam, Ali (Emilio Doorgasingh) and says that she feels guilty for leaving Yusef when they were married because her tried to save her from the fire. She says that if he was not guilty of that, then it means she has been cheating on him and she is the one in the wrong.
Zainab and Masood hand total control of the restaurant to Tamwar, and it is a success. Zainab later learns from Ian that Masood and Jane had an affair. Masood says he turned Jane down, and Zainab believes it but realises he wanted it to happen. She tells him that as soon as Tamwar and Afia are married, he will move out. Zainab then meets Syed and tells him about Masood and Jane. Yusef later tells Masood that Syed is looking after Kamil, and Masood demands to know why Syed and Zainab have reconciled. At Tamwar and Afia's mehndi ceremony, it is revealed that they are already married. After this, Afia's aunt Shameem tells everyone that Yusef and Zainab are having an affair, having misunderstood a conversation she overheard. Yusef's cousin Tariq arrives and tells Yusef he is surprised that Zainab has forgiven him for setting her on fire. Yusef then says that she thinks he was not there and does not know he lit the match. Zainab panicks when the sleeping pills that Yusef has been giving her go missing, and is not happy when Syed reveals he and Christian are engaged. She attends an event with Yusef where she does not correct people when they assume she is Yusef's wife. Afterwards, Yusef admits he has feelings for Zainab but says they should maintain their distance as she is married to Masood. Yusef continues to manipulate Zainab and ply her with pills, but she says she wishes to stop taking the medication, so Yusef crushes up a bottle of pills and conceals them in Zainab's food. Zainab passes out and is hospitalised, with her family believing she took a deliberate overdose. Concerned that he is causing Zainab's worries, Masood divorces Zainab by saying the triple talaq.
Yusef learns that Amira gave birth to Syed's daughter, Yasmin, so persuades Zainab to take a holiday with him and Kamil in Pakistan. While there, he suggests that they move to Pakistan permanently as a family. However, on their return to Walford, Zainab learns about Yasmin, and informs Yusef that she cannot leave Walford after becoming a grandmother. Zainab then tries to encourage Syed to spend more time with Amira and his daughter. Zainab is devastated when it emerges that Yusef falsified the results of a paternity test on Yasmin to fool the Masood family and isolate Amira. Later, Yusef tells Zainab that he told the lies to protect her. She is sceptical, but when Yusef revives Amy Mitchell who has almost drowned, Zainab is impressed with Yusef's caring attitude. Yusef wins Zainab over, and lies that the family is not safe, as Christian has been falsely accused of sexually assaulting a minor, and the whole family could be a target, so Yusef moves in, and later tells her he loves her. Yusef continues to manipulate Zainab, to the point of becoming violent with her. Zainab and Masood's divorce is finalised, and Yusef suggests to Zainab that the whole family should move to Pakistan. When she sees Masood and Jane kissing, she starts looking forward to moving to Pakistan. Zainab tells Masood he has been disrespectful by openly flaunting his new relationship, and then accepts Yusef's marriage proposal. She starts to change her mind about Pakistan when Tamwar refuses to go, and tells Yusef it may not be such a good idea to go. Yusef then slaps her for not respecting his wishes and the things he has done for her, and he stops her from running out of the house. He apologises, saying he was afraid of losing her.
Yusef secretly goes to meet his cousin, Tariq, and it is revealed that Yusef did in fact start the blaze all those years ago. Tariq's confession about Yusef is heard by Afia, who then demands that he either tell Zainab the truth that he started the fire that almost killed her, or she will. Yusef confesses to Zainab, who is angry, but eventually decides that the future is what matters and they should marry as soon as possible. She tells Masood, who says he is glad she is happy, and she says he can see Kamil any time. She then tells Denise she is quitting her job and moving to Pakistan. Denise tells Masood, which angers him, and Denise then interrupts the wedding ceremony, telling Zainab that Yusef has manipulated her and to be absolutely sure it is what she wants, though Zainab says she will never allow herself to be abused like Denise was. Zainab and Yusef then marry. When Yusef tells Masood and Jane about them taking Kamil to Pakistan, Zainab and Jane argue, and Yusef is angered that Zainab did not act in a dignified manner. When Zainab and Yusef get home, Yusef suggests that she should give Kamil to Masood, as Yusef will only treat him as an outcast, so Zainab slaps Yusef, but Yusef slaps Zainab back. Scared, Zainab smuggles a note to Masood, explaining that she has made a terrible mistake. Yusef then hastily arranges a flight for him, Zainab and Kamil to Pakistan, but Zainab purposefully loses her passport to prevent their trip. In retaliation, Yusef kidnaps Kamil, refusing to tell Zainab his whereabouts. Meanwhile, Masood finds and opens the letter, and questions Zainab, who tells him of Yusef's actions. Reluctantly, Zainab agrees to get Kamil back, and convinces Afia to persuade her father to have a family dinner with Kamil. Yusef agrees and takes Zainab to a café where she is reunited with Kamil; they are followed by Masood and Denise, but as Zainab attempts to escape with Kamil, she is stopped by Yusef, and the three of them have disappeared by the time Masood has reached the café. Zainab's new passport arrives, and she and Masood search Yusef's car for a clue as to where she will be boarding the plane to Karachi; while doing this, they share a passionate kiss, which is witnessed by Jane, who gets drunk and tells Yusef. Yusef beats Zainab up violently, kidnapping Kamil again and taking him to Laila's, where he was before. However, while hitting into Zainab, her screams are heard by Afia, who then alerts the police and Tamwar, who then alerts Masood and Jane Beale (Laurie Brett) that Zainab needs help. Zainab says she would rather die than go with Yusef to Pakistan, and considers jumping from the window, but instead she hits Yusef in the groin, and escapes outside, hiding by the side of the house. She overhears Yusef on the phone to Laila, asking her to bring Kamil to her, and then Masood arrives with Kamil. Zainab is reunited with Kamil, and the police are called, but Yusef is allowed to escape by Afia. He hides in Patrick Trueman (Rudolph Walker)'s B&B, where Masood is staying, and meets Masood when a Christmas party starts in the building. Yusef starts a fire and leaves, but Masood and others put it out. However, the fire restarts and the whole house is engulfed, trapping Masood. Zainab tells Yusef that Afia is in the fire, causing him and Tamwar to both go in to find her, though she is not there. Eventually, Masood escapes, Yusef is killed and Tamwar escapes with burns, requiring a skin graft. Zainab then feels guilty over her lie that caused Tamwar to enter the building.
Zainab also makes cameo appearances in the Internet spin-off series EastEnders: E20. In episode 1 of series 1, Zsa Zsa Carter (Emer Kenny) runs past her, then Andy (Steve North), who is chasing Zsa Zsa, runs into her. In episode 3 of series 2, she attends a dance class run by a man named Roger (Eddie Elliott), but assumes Asher Levi (Heshima Thompson) is Roger as Roger is late. When Roger arrives, Asher runs off with the money and Zainab finds him, telling him to keep the money but advising him to stick to dancing rather than stealing. She will also appear in series 3.[4]
Zainab Masood was one of several Asian characters introduced in 2007 by the executive producer of EastEnders, Diederick Santer.[5] She made her first appearance in July 2007 as "a strong-willed woman in her early 40s who owns a string of post offices".[5] Zainab was the first member of the Masood family introduced. The rest of her family, including Masood Ahmed, Shabnam Masood, Syed Masood and Tamwar Masood (Zainab's husband, daughter and two sons), have since joined the programme. The Masoods (without Syed) moved to a property on Albert Square in October 2007, and became regular characters. The Masoods were the first Muslim family to join the show since the Karims, who appeared between 1987 and 1990, and they were the first Asian family to be introduced since the unsuccessful Ferreira family in 2003. Panned by critics and viewers, the Ferreiras were dismissed as unrealistic by the Asian community in the UK, and were eventually axed in 2005.[6][7]
The introduction of more ethnic minority characters is part of producer Diederick Santer's plan to "diversify", to make EastEnders "feel more 21st century".[8] Prior to 2007, EastEnders was heavily criticised by the Commission for Racial Equality (CRE), for not representing the East End's real "ethnic make-up". It was suggested that the average proportion of visible minority faces on EastEnders was substantially lower than the actual ethnic minority population in East London boroughs, and it therefore reflected the East End in the 1960s, not the East End of the 2000s. Furthermore, it was suggested that an element of "tokenism" and stereotyping surrounded many of the minority characters in EastEnders.[9] The expansion of minority representation in EastEnders provides "more opportunities for audience identification with its characters, hence a wider appeal."[10] Trevor Phillips, CRE chair, has said: "balanced representation of ethnic minority communities in the media matters. The industry has a key part to play in this, it is a powerful tool and can go a long way towards helping to build an integrated society."[11]
Actress and comedienne, Nina Wadia—best known for starring in the sketch show Goodness Gracious Me—was approached and subsequently cast in the role of Zainab. This was Wadia's second role in EastEnders. She had previously played a nurse, who tended to Michelle Fowler after she was shot in 1994.[12] Wadia has commented: "I'm thrilled to join the show and I can't wait for Zainab to come to the Square and cause some trouble…[5] Zainab Masood is very rude. It’s nice to be a bit of a bitch as you don’t normally get the chance in real life…[13] It's so nice to come to work and have some adult conversation, as at home I spend most of my day chatting to a three-year-old or my three-and-a-half-month-old baby."[14] EastEnders executive producer, Diederick Santer, added: "I'm enormously excited to welcome Nina Wadia to EastEnders. She's a brilliant comedy actress and I'm sure her character Zainab will showcase all her comic and dramatic talents."[5]
Zainab is portrayed as a "tough-talking businesswoman". Described as "Walford's answer to Sir Alan Sugar", Zainab has a "direct manner" with a "a tongue that could cut glass", which can be "hugely intimidating".[5][3] This became evident shortly after the character's introduction, when Zainab become embroiled in an ongoing feud with her employee Denise Wicks (Diane Parish). An EastEnders spokesperson has commented: "[Zainab's] not there to make friends".[5]
Despite her "fierce manner", Zainab is a "devoted mother", and she is also described as "great fun" with a "wicked sense of humour."[5][3] Wadia has said that Zainab's relationship with her husband, Masood (Nitin Ganatra), allows for her character to show a "softer side". She adds "with him, you will get to see her smile!". Santer also said that she will be the new battle-axe on the show (replacing Pauline Fowler) — the "Asian" matriarch of the Square.[15] Wadia later described Zainab as someone she would not want to meet in real life: "I constantly say on set, 'I annoy myself' when I play Zainab. She's really irritating — the kind of woman that I'd never want to meet. I was on holiday last week, I went up to the Lake District, and every place that I stopped, people came up to me and said, 'Oh, you made me laugh last night'. One woman said to me, 'My husband screams at the television screen when you come on!' and I know then that I'm doing my job."[16] Wadia later said "Zainab is quite the bitch, isn't she? I certainly wouldn't want to meet her in a dark alley at night, but she is such good fun to play."[17]
Wadia has also said that Zainab is the more traditional of the Masood family but is also conflicted: "She's the more devout Muslim, even though she was married when she was younger to another man before falling in love with Masood. [...] Being in this country at the age she's at, she has her traditional values but she fights terribly to be modern and to fit into Western society. Look at the way she dresses for a start. She only wears the traditional clothes when it's to her advantage, like if she has to meet the imam. So she does play the game, but deep down, Zainab's someone who'll come across as traditional but inside, she's a free spirit. That's what makes her so angry and conflicted, because she's constantly fighting herself."[18]
In August 2009, Zainab is forced come to terms with the fact that she is 15 weeks pregnant in her mid-40s.[19] Zainab and Masood are ready to settle down as Shabnam has left home, Tamwar is going to university and Syed is preparing for marriage. An EastEnders source told entertainment website Digital Spy: "Zainab's in her mid-40s and was looking forward to spending some quality time with Masood, but the news certainly throws a spanner in the works. Their plans to see the world instantly fall apart and she faces a dilemma as to what to do." Wadia said she cried on hearing about the storyline, saying that she was not looking forward to wearing a pregnancy suit: "From a purely aesthetic point of view, the thought of having to come in early to put on foam and then sweat while filming... I get very hot on set and we have to pretend that it's winter before it is, so we have to wear extra clothing. Just the thought of it made me cry! Because I'm quite a new mum in real life, to have to have kids at work as well also made me tear up!"[18] The storyline also includes EastEnders' first scenes filmed in a mosque, which Wadia said was "huge" and "stunning".[18] She said that Zainab is terrified due to her age and the fact it will interfere with her career, and she feels trapped because she does not want the baby but abortion is forbidden by her faith, adding "At this point, though, she's questioning whether she should go against her faith and abort. That's a huge thing for her."[18] Finally Wadia said that she feels Zainab will be a "very funny mother".[18]
In late 2011, Zainab reunites with her former husband Yusef. After months of manipulating Zainab, Yusef manages to marry her. A short-time before the marriage, Yusef begins abusing Zainab mentally and physically. He starts to confine her to the house uses Zainab's son Kamil to control her. Wadia explains that she wants the storyline to have a positive impact against real-life violence. She told BBC News :"I think the idea behind showing a strong woman like Zainab changing like this is to show that it can happen to even the strongest of women. They can change and they can be manipulated - especially if they're isolated from their friends and family. The manipulator can take advantage, so it's to prove that it can even happen to people like her. To be honest, if even one woman rings that Action Line at the end of the show and there's some difference made to her life, I'll feel like we've done our job," she continued. "It is a serious issue and I'm glad it's being highlighted. I hope that it wakes anyone up - not just women, I know that there are abused men out there as well. So if it gives anyone the strength to leave a relationship like that, we'll have done our job."[20]
Wadia admitted that she was feeling "emotionally drained" from her scenes with Ace Bhatti. She told The People: "It's very draining. I'm putting myself into this very dark place which I know sadly is a reality for so many women. Zainab's confidence has been steadily eroded. She's feeling isolated and has fallen under Yusef's control. He wants revenge. She is totally in his power. I had to show this can happen to any woman, no matter how strong she seems. Zainab was strong and not naive, but a woman is vulnerable if the man hits the right psychological weak spots. But both Ace and I have found it hard to do. I've known Ace for a long time and we're good friends. He has been wonderful to work with on this and very concerned about me all the way through." Wadia has been given advice on the storyline from the Roshni refuge in Birmingham, which specializes in abuse within Asian families.[21]
Wadia warns that Yusef will get worse as time goes on. Wadia told Inside Soap: "I was filming out on location recently with Ace and a bunch of women came over to him and said, 'God, you're such a horrible man!' It's funny because Ace is such a sweet man - and you haven't even seen the worst of Yusef yet!" Wadia continued: "Let's just say that what happens is the complete opposite of what you want to see. Zainab and Yusef share a dark and twisted love, and she definitely has feelings for him. It's not true and pure like what she used to have with Masood - and if Yusef manages to get her back to Pakistan, it will be the end for her. I wouldn't be surprised if Zainab ends up in some sort of home to recover from everything that's going to happen."[22]
Zainab, along with the rest of the Masood family, was criticised by actor Deepak Verma, who played Sanjay Kapoor between 1993 and 1998. He said that EastEnders had failed to portray Asian families in a realistic manner, branding the family "two-dimensional and ill-conceived". A BBC spokesperson responded by saying ""It's a shame Deepak feels that way but that's clearly his personal opinion. The Masood family have proved to be hugely popular with EastEnders viewers."[23]
EastEnders was criticised by Location, Location, Location host Kirstie Allsopp for a scene broadcast on 1 January 2010, in which Zainab told gay Christian Clarke, "Take your perverted obsession elsewhere. What you do makes me feel sick." Allsop said the scene was "totally unsuitable for 6.30pm" and added "I don't want kids watching that kind of rant – in time they'll know about bigots but please not yet."[24] The BBC responded by saying "Since this storyline began, EastEnders has always shown a balance of opinions to ensure that we capture the many different views of the characters involved. Zainab has always been an extremely opinionated character but her views do not go unchallenged and it is within these conflicts that the drama unfolds. We have taken great care in portraying this sensitive storyline and we always ensure that our episodes are suitable for the timeslot in which they are shown"[24]
In March 2011, Wadia was nominated for the second year running in the 'Best Actress' category at the British Soap Awards.[25]
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