Iqra Ahmed

Add links
Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Iqra Ahmed
EastEnders character
Kamil Masood

Iqra Ahmed is a fictional character from the

Habiba Ahmed (Rukku Nahar), Iqra is introduced as a relative of established character Masood Ahmed (Nitin Ganatra). Iqra's final appearance aired on 3 January 2022.[2]

Iqra's initial storylines revolve around taking over the local restaurant with Habiba and exposing family friend

Muslim lesbian
to be featured on EastEnders.

Casting and characterisation

Davdra's casting and details surrounding the character were announced on 20 December 2018.[3] The role of Iqra marks Davdra's television debut.[4] Her prior roles include a film,[5] short films,[6] advertisements[7] and a voiceover on a video game.[8] After the announcement of her casting, Davdra confirmed on Instagram that the characters would begin appearing on the series from February 2019.[9] She voiced her excitement at being able to join the soap due to enjoying it in her youth, as well as wanting to see the viewers' reaction to Iqra.[1]

The BBC described Iqra as "no-nonsense, bold and intelligent" and added that "she arrives in

Arshad Ahmed (Madhav Sharma
) as well as other characters on EastEnders.

Storylines

Before moving to

Arshad Ahmed (Madhav Sharma). When they are in a club, men make comments about the pair, with Robbie Jackson (Dean Gaffney
) flirting with Ash. Initially wanting to hide that she is a lesbian, she insists they are friends, which Ash is uncomfortable with. Iqra then pulls Ash in for a kiss in front of a crowd.

Iqra teams up with

Kheerat Panesar (Jaz Deol) arrive in Walford with mother Suki Panesar (Balvinder Sopal
), Iqra is excited to get to know them. However, due to her Muslim faith conflicting with their Sikh faith, they ignore her friendly attempts.

When an innocent Jags is jailed for a crime he did not commit, Habiba decides to leave Walford to live nearby to his prison. Iqra comes to the realisation that Ash is more dedicated to the Panesars than to her, and after Ash confides in her that she knew Jags is innocent, Iqra blames her for Habiba moving away. She ends their relationship and later begins getting to know

Aaron Monroe (Charlie Wernham
) is also Islamophobic and he is planning to bomb the Argee Bhajee. However, the restaurant backs on to The Prince Albert gay bar. On New Year's Eve 2021, Aaron plans to set the bomb off, with a packed bar celebrating New Year. However, he cannot go through with it. The entire community, including Iqra, are shaken at what could have happened when they find out about the bomb. A few days later, Iqra confides in Bobby that she has succeeded in obtaining her dream job in a hotel. However, she is unsure about leaving Walford behind. She also is hesitant to say goodbye to him, Mila and Kioni. Bobby assures her that everything will be okay and he encourages her to follow her dreams. Buoyed by his advice, Iqra leaves the Square.

Development

Sexuality and religion

Iqra is initially portrayed as heterosexual, with the media reporting a possible romance with

comes out as lesbian by saying she has met a woman.[15] An EastEnders source stated that Iqra had been "fighting to keep her sexuality quiet" but that the truth needed to emerge eventually.[16] Later scenes see her come out to her grandparents, where she reveals her relationship with long-term girlfriend Ash.[17] When asked about the storyline, Davdra commented: "It was amazing. I think EastEnders has done amazing bringing this storyline out. I'm so proud to be presenting this storyline."[18]

Iqra is the first lesbian Muslim to appear on EastEnders.

honour, due to the difference in religion,[23] with Jessica Williams of the Daily Express stating "Iqra in danger as Suki plots dark revenge".[24]

Relationships

Iqra's sisterhood with Habiba has been a key relationship for her character since Iqra's introduction.[25] Before their arrival on the programme, Habiba accompanied Iqra to run from their parents and Iqra's arranged marriage.[26] Worried about being found, Iqra closes herself off, and Habiba encourages her to live her life to the fullest, stating "this is about us standing up for the lives we want to live".[26] When Iqra comes out as lesbian to Habiba, she is initially shocked but supportive,[27] and when Iqra wants to keep her sexuality a secret, Habiba covers for her with Mariam and Arshad.[25]

Iqra's relationship with Ash begins exploration on 29 August 2019 when Iqra introduces her to Mariam and Arshad.

portmanteau "Ashra".[28]

In March 2021, months after her breakup with Ash, a potential romance with Mila was hinted. Joe Anderton of Digital Spy believed that the romance would be well-deserved for Iqra. Speaking on the potential pairing, actress Davdra explained that her character begins to see Mila as a chance to build a strong relationship without secrets. She described Iqra's relationship with Ash as untrustworthy and hoped that the pairing with Mila would be the opposite. Davdra also explained that Iqra sees getting to know Mila as a chance to do something for herself, as she typically does things for other people such as Habiba, her grandparents and Ash. She opined that Mila would be a good match for her character, stating: "Iqra is more sensible and level headed and Mila is a form of excitement that has come into her life. They share a similar experience of coming out and their cultural backgrounds. "I feel like they are similar in certain areas, and then very different – opposites attract, but Mila does bring Iqra out of her shell."[31] It was stated by Digital Spy that Iqra would learn a "heartbreaking" secret about Mila in forthcoming scenes.[32] Davdra explained that Iqra initially suspects it is something regarding her due to her failed relationship with Ash. However, she learns that Mila's family is homophobic which led to her changing her name and running away. Davdra stated that Iqra understands how Mila feels, since she has been through a similar thing. She explained: "[Iqra] came out only recently to her family so she definitely understands what Mila is going through and can advise her based on her experience."[32]

Departure

On 3 January 2022, in previously unannounced scenes, Iqra made the decision to take a job offer away from Albert Square. Following the episode airing, both Davdra and an EastEnders spokesperson confirmed that Davdra had exited her role as Iqra. Digital Spy described her exit as a "low-key departure" due to having no final scenes with Mila or Kioni.[33] Posting about her exit on social media, Davdra said that it was "an absolute pleasure" to play the role of Iqra and that she would miss it, but confirmed that she had left to pursue other acting projects.[33]

Reception

Upon their arrival, viewers' opinions on Iqra and sister Habiba were mixed, with Angie Quinn of My London stating that "some viewers love them, others are less keen".[34] Initially, viewers deemed the characters "annoying", "irritating" and "wooden".[35] Helen Fear of Entertainment Daily commented: "Hopefully viewers will warm to the new characters", and added "Bad news for haters, as the pair are definitely sticking around."[35] However, opinions on Iqra changed as her tenure on the programme developed her character, with Duncan Lindsay of Metro tweeting "Habiba and Iqra are fantastic characters [...] you have to give characters time to breathe, settle in and become their own."[36] The changing opinion has been accredited to senior executive producer Kate Oates, who took over from John Yorke.[37] When details of the coming out storyline were reported, Stonewall praised it, commenting: "We're really hoping these reports are true because we need to see more LGBT Muslims on screen, and better representation of lesbians."[38] Justin Harp described Iqra's relationship with Ash as a "powerful love story", as well as praising Iqra's involvement with Mila's female genital mutilation storyline.[33]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c d Johnson, Amy (20 December 2018). "EastEnders spoilers: Arshad family to expand with 'NIGHTMARE' newcomers Iqra and Habiba". Daily Express. Archived from the original on 15 August 2019. Retrieved 29 March 2020.
  2. ^ Davdra, Priya. "…And that's a wrap on 3 years with @bbceastenders ❤️… It's been an absolute pleasure!!! Bye bye Iq's 🙋🏽‍♀️will miss ya! ✨✨✨ #ontothenextone #letsgo". Instagram. Retrieved 3 January 2022.
  3. ^ "Rukku Nahar and Priya Davdra join EastEnders". Female First. 20 December 2018. Archived from the original on 29 March 2020. Retrieved 29 March 2020.
  4. ^ "Spotlight: Priya Davdra". Archived from the original on 17 January 2021. Retrieved 30 March 2020.
  5. ^ "Leading lady Priya Davdra cast as Saj in Healed at Omnibus Theatre!". Boland and Reeve. 14 March 2020. Retrieved 30 March 2020.[permanent dead link]
  6. ^ "EastEnders spoilers: New characters REVEALED following Christmas storyline". News Rust. 23 December 2020. Archived from the original on 17 January 2021. Retrieved 30 March 2020.
  7. ^ "Priya Davdra is a new series regular on BBC's Eastenders!". Boland and Reeve. 8 January 2019. Retrieved 30 March 2020.[permanent dead link]
  8. ^ Davdra, Priya (24 November 2018). "Woo Finally got my copy of #hitman2 ..... Soooo chuffed to be cast as a voiceover on this 🙌 Thanks to all the wonderful directors I had the opportunity to work with, #iointeractive and of course @bolandandreeve 😘 #hitman2 #2018 #agent47 #mumbailevel #xbox #ps4 #gameing #voiceovers #ncp #karisma #actress🎬". Instagram. Archived from the original on 17 January 2021. Retrieved 30 March 2020.
  9. ^ Davdra, Priya (21 February 2018). "So finally I can share!! Ahmed sisters are coming to Albert Square.... on your screens Feb 2019 !!! With the fab @rukkunahar". Instagram. Archived from the original on 29 July 2019. Retrieved 29 March 2020.
  10. ^ Milan, Aidan (19 February 2019). "Who are the Ahmed sisters in EastEnders – meet actresses Rukku Nahar and Priya Davdra". Metro. Archived from the original on 12 May 2019. Retrieved 29 March 2020.
  11. ^ Crik, Claire. "EastEnders SPOILER: Romance for Kush and Iqra". Entertainment Daily. Archived from the original on 17 January 2021. Retrieved 29 March 2020.
  12. ^ Lindsay, Duncan (18 February 2019). "EastEnders spoilers: Romance ahead for Iqra Ahmed and Kush Kazemi?". Metro. Archived from the original on 29 March 2020. Retrieved 29 March 2020.
  13. ^ Baillie, Katie (19 February 2019). "EastEnders spoilers: Habiba and Iqra Ahmed hide huge secret as Masood makes his exit". Metro. Archived from the original on 29 March 2020. Retrieved 29 March 2020.
  14. ^ Lindsay, Duncan (25 February 2019). "EastEnders spoilers: Iqra Ahmed is on the run from an arranged marriage". Metro. Archived from the original on 29 March 2020. Retrieved 29 March 2020.
  15. ^ Patterson, Stephen (10 August 2019). "EastEnders spoilers: Iqra Amhed's big secret is revealed". Metro. Archived from the original on 29 March 2020. Retrieved 29 March 2020.
  16. ^ Akingbade, Tobi (1 August 2019). "EastEnders set for 'first lesbian Muslim character' in groundbreaking storyline". Evening Standard. Archived from the original on 22 December 2019. Retrieved 27 December 2019.
  17. ^ Patterson, Stephen (18 August 2019). "EastEnders spoilers: Iqra Amhed reveals to her family that she is gay". Metro. Archived from the original on 29 March 2020. Retrieved 29 March 2020.
  18. ^ "Priya Davdra promises 'drama' for Iqra Ahmed". Female First. Archived from the original on 17 January 2021. Retrieved 30 March 2020.
  19. ^ "EastEnders to feature its first ever lesbian Muslim character next month". Midlands Zone. 29 July 2019. Retrieved 31 March 2020.
  20. ^ Nolan, Emma (28 July 2019). "EastEnders character to come out as the show's first Muslim lesbian in new storyline". Metro. Archived from the original on 13 December 2019. Retrieved 30 March 2020.
  21. ^ "EastEnders introduces soap's first Muslim lesbian". PinkNews. Archived from the original on 30 March 2020. Retrieved 30 March 2020.
  22. ^ Lindsay, Duncan (18 February 2020). "EastEnders fans disgusted by Islamophobic slurs against Bobby, Iqra and Habiba". Metro. Archived from the original on 30 March 2020. Retrieved 30 March 2020.
  23. ^ a b Fear, Helen (5 February 2020). "EastEnders fans fear 'honour killing' for Iqra after Suki threat". Entertainment Daily. Archived from the original on 17 January 2021. Retrieved 30 March 2020.
  24. ^ Williams, Jessica (6 February 2020). "EastEnders spoilers: Suki to kill Ash's girlfriend Iqra as fans spot huge clue?". Archived from the original on 11 February 2020. Retrieved 30 March 2020.
  25. ^ a b "EastEnders spoilers: Iqra reveals her secret". EastieOaks. 5 August 2019. Archived from the original on 19 September 2020. Retrieved 30 March 2020.
  26. ^ a b Hughes, Johnathon. "EastEnders reveals the REAL reason Iqra and Habiba are in Walford..." Radio Times. Retrieved 30 March 2020.
  27. ^ West, Amy (12 August 2019). "EastEnders' Iqra Ahmed comes out to sister Habiba as she tells her she's seeing a woman". Digital Spy. Archived from the original on 26 April 2020. Retrieved 30 March 2020.
  28. ^ a b Brown, David (16 August 2019). "EastEnders introduces Iqra's girlfriend Ash as Gurlaine Kaur Garcha joins the cast". Radio Times. Archived from the original on 17 January 2021. Retrieved 30 March 2020.
  29. ^ a b Westbrook, Caroline (29 October 2019). "Who is Ash in EastEnders and what is she hiding?". Metro. Archived from the original on 30 October 2019. Retrieved 30 March 2020.
  30. ^ a b Dainty, Sophie (20 August 2019). "EastEnders reveals full details as Iqra Ahmed introduces girlfriend Ash to her family". Digital Spy. Archived from the original on 17 April 2020. Retrieved 30 March 2020.
  31. Hearst Magazines UK. Archived
    from the original on 9 July 2021. Retrieved 6 July 2021.
  32. ^
    Hearst Magazines UK. Archived
    from the original on 9 July 2021. Retrieved 6 July 2021.
  33. ^
    Hearst Magazines UK). Archived
    from the original on 4 January 2022. Retrieved 4 January 2022.
  34. ^ "EastEnders fans are completely divided over new girls Iqra and Habiba". My London. 21 February 2019. Archived from the original on 17 January 2021. Retrieved 30 March 2020.
  35. ^ a b "EastEnders fans reject "annoying" and "wooden" newcomers Habiba and Iqra". Entertainment Daily. Retrieved 30 March 2020.[permanent dead link]
  36. ^ Lindsay, Duncan [@DuncanLindsay] (12 August 2019). "Habiba and Iqra are fantastic characters – proof that, like new Ben, you have to give characters time to breathe, settle in and become their own. #EastEnders" (Tweet). Retrieved 30 March 2020 – via Twitter.
  37. ^ "Martial arts champion will be Iqra Ahmed's girlfriend on Eastenders". GCN. 16 August 2019. Archived from the original on 29 September 2020. Retrieved 30 March 2020.
  38. ^ "Why we need more representation of LGBT people of faith in popular culture". Stonewall. 12 August 2019. Archived from the original on 14 February 2020. Retrieved 31 March 2020.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Iqra_Ahmed&oldid=1212222048"