The Masood Family Appreciation Thread **May contain spoilers**

[tammyy2j]

EastEnders star Nina Wadia has promised that there are big moments ahead for her character Zainab Masood in the build-up to Christmas.

Zainab is currently being manipulated by her ex-husband Yusef Khan (Ace Bhatti), who stooped to a new low last month by crushing up pills into her food - causing her to overdose.

The mother-of-four has since recovered, but Yusef's path has been left open for more schemes in the weeks ahead as Zainab's partner Masood recently decided to divorce her - leaving her even more isolated.

Wadia told Digital Spy of the storyline's future: "Oh gosh, there's definitely more shocks and surprises to come for Zainab! The scripts seem to get darker and darker each time, and every time I open a new one, my jaw drops.

"The coolest thing is that I've just received scripts for two weeks prior to Christmas, and those scripts have already shocked the life out of me. So goodness knows what Christmas itself will bring!

"The scripts are page-turners. When you get those scripts where you can't wait to see what comes next, that's when you know that you've got something special in your hands. I'm literally thinking, 'Oh my God, oh my God, what's going to happen next?'"

Wadia added that while Yusef currently has an ambiguous quality, she believes his main motivation is revenge.

"I think that's the clever thing about the way Ace plays Yusef - you never really know," she explained. "Sometimes when I'm playing the scenes I'm not quite sure, and I only figure it out when I watch them back.

"I think what Ace does is really brilliant - it unnerves me both as an actor and as a character. I personally think that somewhere in there, Yusef has a love for Zainab, but I think his primary intent has to be revenge.

"That's what I think as Nina, but not as Zainab. I think Zainab falls in love with him, and she actually thinks that they could love each other."

[Perdita]

EastEnders star Nina Wadia has revealed that she plans to stay in the show for the foreseeable future.

The actress, who plays Zainab Masood in the BBC One soap, said she is excited by her current storyline but doesn't want to outstay her welcome.

"When they first told me what they had planned for the Masoods I was so excited," she told the Daily Star Sunday.

"I've just read the pre-Christmas scripts and things are going to get even darker.

"I've been on the show for nearly five years and it still feels fresh. But once I have outstayed my welcome I know it will be time to go."

Wadia recently promised that there will be big moments ahead for her character Zainab in the build-up to Christmas.

She has also been working as executive producer on her film Four, a black comedy about a man who hires someone to help kidnap his wife's lover in a vengeful plan.

[Perdita]

The Masood family will reportedly be at the centre of the upcoming fire on EastEnders.

It was reported last month that Albert Square's B&B will go up in flames, with the soap's team building a replica set at Elstree Studios to film the shock blaze scenes.

The fire is started deliberately and causes a massive explosion, leading to the climax of the Masood and Yusef Khan (Ace Bhatti) storyline, according to the Daily Star Sunday.

Zainab (Nina Wadia) is under the complete control of Yusef, who is attempting to make her return to Pakistan with him. When the fire breaks out, Masood (Nitin Ganatra) is living in the B&B and Zainab desperately tries to reach him, much to Yusef's dismay.

The cast recently filmed the episodes, due to be aired at Christmas, and Preeya Kalidas (Amira) tweeted that the explosion on the special Elstree set felt like an "earthquake".

An EastEnders spokesman told the paper: "We do not comment on storylines as we don't want to spoil it for our viewers."

Speaking of her character's Christmas storyline, Wadia recently told Digital Spy that the scripts "shocked the life out of me".

"I'm literally thinking, 'Oh my God, oh my God, what's going to happen next?'" she said.

[tammyy2j]

^ Pat must be living at the B&B by then if she dies in this fire

I dont think I can stand watching Yusef until Xmas

[Perdita]

^ Pat must be living at the B&B by then if she dies in this fire

I dont think I can stand watching Yusef until Xmas

Pat does not die in the fire.

I think you might have to put up with Yusef until Xmas but that should be the end of this storyline

[Perdita]

EastEnders star Nina Wadia has warned that viewers have not yet seen the worst of the soap's villain Yusef Khan.

The actress's character Zainab Masood has been manipulated by ex-husband Yusef for months, and the situation looks likely to intensify in the build-up to Christmas.

Ace Bhatti, who plays Yusef, has been part of the EastEnders cast since last year - and his alter ego's true colours have become increasingly apparent over the past few months.

Wadia told Inside Soap of the storyline: "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!"

Yusef receives a setback in next week's episodes when his scheme to make the Masoods think that baby Yasmin is not Syed's daughter is exposed.

However, Yusef soon returns to his old tricks by claiming that Zainab is to blame for the man he's become. He then continues trying to convince her to move to Pakistan with him.

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."

EastEnders continues on Thursday at 7.30pm on BBC One.

[Perdita]

EastEnders star Nina Wadia has revealed that she would love her character Zainab Masood to develop more female friendships on Albert Square.

The actress admitted that she is eager to see Zainab interact with characters like Roxy Mitchell, Shirley Carter and Carol Jackson.

Wadia told Inside Soap: "I'd love to work more with the likes of Rita Simons, Linda Henry and Lindsey Coulson. It would be really cool to do more book club scenes with the women of Walford.

"It's interesting, because no matter how different we are as actresses, we always bond."

Wadia said that she also holds out hope that Zainab's daughter Shabnam, played by Zahra Ahmadi, could return to the soap in the future.

"I'm still hoping that Zahra Ahmadi will return one day," she said. "It would be very interesting to see how Shabnam's matured since moving to Pakistan."

Zainab is currently enduring turbulent times on Albert Square due to the manipulations of her ex-husband Yusef Khan (Ace Bhatti). The storyline is expected to intensify in the build-up to Christmas.

[Perdita]

EastEnders star Nina Wadia has revealed that she is keen to see the Masood family reunited in 2012.

The popular Walford clan have been torn apart this year due to the meddling influence of Yusef Khan, who has been trying to worm his way back into the life of Wadia's character Zainab, his ex-wife.

Zainab's current storyline led to Masood divorcing her earlier this year, and she is expected to continue being manipulated by Yusef (Ace Bhatti) in the weeks ahead.

Speaking to Inside Soap's Yearbook 2012 about her hopes for next year's plotlines, Wadia commented: "I hope the Masood family is brought back together, but it all depends what happens with Yusef, doesn't it? The writers haven't yet told us what's happening with him, but I'm assuming because he's playing a baddie, there has to be some kind of comeuppance for him later on.

"Unfortunately, I think things are going to get even darker for Zainab for quite a while before they get better."

Wadia also said that she is pleased with the way Yusef has shaken up life for the Masoods in recent months.

"Yusef's brought such a great dynamic to the family and made them more exciting," she explained. "I've filmed some quite horrific scenes where Yusef gets violent towards Zainab. I don't like all of that to be honest, I have to be so on the ball when filming it. But Yusef pushes everyone to the limit, and he could potentially hurt anyone."

[megan999]

I think you might have to put up with Yusef until Xmas but that should be the end of this storyline

Whew, glad about that! It's been good, but they don't want it to drag on.

EastEnders star Nina Wadia has warned that viewers have not yet seen the worst of the soap's villain Yusef Khan.

Wonder how much lower he can stoop?!

EastEnders star Nina Wadia has revealed that she is keen to see the Masood family reunited in 2012.

They all deserve a happy ending, apart from Yusef

[Perdita]

EASTENDERS star Nina Wadia went through a traumatic ordeal shooting the soap’s explosive Christmas episodes.

She was left in floods of tears after acting out harrowing *domestic violence scenes which deeply affected her and will stun Albert Square fans.

Nina’s character Zainab Masood ends up being brutally attacked by her evil ex-husband Yusef after months of mental torture in a disturbing storyline that tackles the taboo of “honour killings” in Britain’s Asian communities.

And for Nina – who is patron of an ethnic women’s refuge – her screen trauma has been almost too harrowing to bear.

“It’s very draining emotional stuff,” she told The People.

Revenge

“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.”

The evil doctor, played by Ace Bhatti, has been trying to *rekindle their romance and lure Zainab back to Pakistan.

But he is haunted by the “dishonour” she brought on him by having an affair with Masood Ahmed when they were married.

“He wants revenge,” said Nina, 41. “We’ve already seen Yusef try to poison her and then make everyone, including her, believe she had attempted suicide. She is totally in his power.”


Showdown: Yusef lies in wait for Zainab

What happens next to Zainab mirrors the rising tide of *domestic brutality sweeping Britain.

Latest Parliamentary figures reveal there were 728,242 *reported attacks in the last year – and of the 100 women who died at the hands of a current or former partner, at least 12 were believed to be honour killings.

According to the Home Office, the total for such abuse is “likely to be far higher” because *murders in the closed ethnic communities are often hushed up.

Now happily married mum-of-two Nina is proud to have helped highlight the plight of women trapped in these relationships.

When the storyline was first suggested by EastEnders *bosses, she knew she had to do it. “I had to show this can happen to any woman, no matter how strong she seems,” said Nina.


Face of fear: Zainab recoils as he grabs her

“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.”

Nina drew on her experience with the Roshni refuge in Birmingham which provides *support for Asian women and children fleeing abuse.

She said: “I did research there six years ago for Flight, a film I made about a pregnant woman with two children pursued by a violent man. I talked to so many of the women.”

She was so moved by their stories she agreed to become the refuge’s patron, helping out with fundraising. Now Roshni staff are advising EastEnders on the Zainab and Yusef story. “It is always important to everyone at EastEnders that they get it right,” said Nina.


Flashpoint: He loses it as row boils over

“And I knew the people at Roshni were just the ones to help with this.

“It can happen to any woman. Zainab was strong and not naive, but a woman is vulnerable if the man hits the right psychological weak spots.”

Nina revealed that the scenes she filmed can’t touch the horrifying reality of what happened to some of the refuge women.

Tears filled her eyes as she told how one victim was *systematically burnt with an iron by her husband.

“He would tell her the ironing needed to be done, and she should get the board out,” explained Nina.

“But she knew if she did he would burn her with the iron – and that if she didn’t he would beat her up. It was Hobson’s choice.”

The woman finally fled the marriage when her husband threw one of their children across the room.

“Many women take abuse to protect their children.” Nina explained.

She also realises EastEnders viewers might find it hard to *understand how Zainab, once so headstrong, has become cowed and submissive,

“People don’t understand how a woman totally loses any *confidence when she becomes a victim,” said Nina.

“It’s also not the easiest thing in the world to go somewhere else if you don’t have any money and if you have children.

“And in Asian communities you are brought up to believe it is shameful if you do not have a successful marriage or end up a woman on your own.

“I just want these women to know that know matter how *horrible life is, they need to try to find that inner strength to get out and seek help.”

In real life Nina has been *happily married to Canadian composer and producer Raiomond Mirza for 12 years. They recently worked together for the first time on a comedy movie called Four – with Nina as executive producer.

“It was an *interesting experience,” Nina laughed. Everything I despise! Dealing with *money, staffing etc. But I’m learning a new set of skills and I’m very proud of what we have achieved together.”

So does this mean she’s going to be leaving Albert Square? “Ah no, I love being in front of the *camera too much and I love acting too much,” Nina declared.

She hopes viewers will see something of the old Zainab return after her ordeal.

“But after what’s happened I don’t think she can ever totally be the same again” said Nina.


http://www.people.co.uk/celebs-tv/ce...2039-23540685/