Cosy crimes and gritty sagas by Corrie Blog editor Glenda, published by Headline. Click pic below!

Saturday 27 December 2014

Why I like (most of) the Nazir family

There have been a lot of blog posts about the Nazir family on Coronation Street and a lot of comments left by fans on each post. It seems as if there's a love/hate thing going on with the Nazir family as a whole, and individual members of the clan have their own strengths and weaknesses too.  I've stayed out of the debate so far but feel it necessary to vent my spleen now.  I've had enough of the Nazir family - but not all of them. In fact, there's one I like a lot.

Yasmeen is the one I like best. She's gobby, forthright, strong - all the qualities of the typical Coronation Street woman. She's not a battle-axe although she does have a sharp tongue, not afraid to say what she thinks. In addition, not only did she endear herself to me with the sit-in at the library with Roy, she's opened Jamila House, the new Community Centre of the Street.  Yasmeen is the best of the lot and the one that should stay, if indeed Corrie were ever thinking of axing any of them, which they're probably not, but I do wish they would.

Sharif is next on my list of those I like most, but only because he acts as a feckless foil to Yasmeen's big plans. He's become a member of the Square Dealers, another nod to Corrie's history, and am  I over-thinking this, or are his chickens a cunning and not very subtle nod to Jack's pigeons?  Or maybe a fox will come and eat them, who knows?  Sharif can stay too, but only so that he extends his reign as the downtrodden husband, a type that we know on the Street only too well.

Alya is one I have mixed feelings about. I think putting her into Underworld with Carla could be a joy to watch in coming weeks. Or it could turn sour, my inner-Corrie jury is still out on this one. I like what I've seen of Alya so far except for the wrongly-matched relationship with Gary Windass, which I haven't enjoyed watching.  As a huge fan of both actor Mikey North and the character of Gary Windass, Alya was never going to be good enough for Gary, in my eyes.  Mind you, I'm not sure who would be.  He needs to get back with Izzy.  The poor lad also needs to get back to counselling for his post traumatic stress disorder too.

And then we come on to the other two Nazirs - Kal and Zeedan.  This is the tricky bit, because I was excited when I read the news that Jimi Mistry was joining Corrie as Kal, and that Chesney from Shameless was joining Corrie as Zeedan. These were two actors I have watched and admired on telly and in film, in other shows, in other dramas and always thought they were great.  But for me, neither of them fit in with Corrie and both should leave soon.

There, I've said it. It's just my tuppence worth.


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19 comments:

Tvor said...

Spot on! Zeedan might yet fit in but so far, he's a spare, sulky part. He needs a mate but he's a bit young for most of the Street kids or too old for the rest. He must be about 18? The only one pretty much his age is Maddy with Craig a touch younger and miles away with anything at all in common but then, you never know...

Anonymous said...

Yasmeen is clearly some kind of Zainab clone from EastEnders... Another self-important harpy waffling on about the family, tradition and her place in society.

Flo said...

I agree 100%. I've noticed a glimmer of hope for Shariff since they purchased the Windass house too, I think we're going to see more of his character development. Zeedan needs to be hit by a tram. He's just annoying.

Frosty the Snowman said...

Frosty likes Zeedan and has already said there could be a place for him in the Street. We need more mention of the Square Dealers. Yasmin is just awful, the character is a bossy harridan who SHOUTS her lines the whole time. Ayla is stunning but a bit of a drip and no way would fancy the Gingernut job, if she sides with this yob after the Roy business, Frosty will go ape. Kal is wooden and his relatonship with Leanne is just not credible. Dont mind the sulky boy too much, teenage boys are like that. Why they had to move into the Street just makes them more panotomime then they already are becoming.

Llifon said...

Sharif's chickens reminded me of how Stan and Eddie used to keep chickens in the 1970s.

Anonymous said...

Frosty,You won't be alone as I'll also go ape if Alya takes Gary's side or worse keeps a vigil at his hospital bed.Hopefully her grandfather Sharif,the only one I really like right now will be the one who'll make her see sense.As for Gary why isn't he arrested for trespassing or B and E?

LindaSonia said...

Alya not good enough for Gary?!?!? Hah - try the other way around. What does Gary have to offer a relationship? Not much, as far as I can see. He can go.

Agree - Kal and Leeanne totally not credible and Yasmeen is a total boar, as in 'wild'.

Nikki NZ said...

I agree that the Alya/Gary experiment hasn't worked. That storyline should be quietly shelved if possible. But what about Zeedan and the yet to be cast 15 yo Bethany? You'd have an age gap but that's easily bridged if Bethany is a precocious worldly Italian girl (please casting team, ensure she at least has an accent - she's lived in Milan since she was about 5). Only please have the two actors spend as much time together as possible before the story begins. That would at least give them a chance to develop chemistry which would then hopefully translate on screen.

As an aside, I hope Michael Le Vell and the actress who plays Jenny (whose name escapes me) are doing the same. I'd love for the Kevin and Jenny coupling to work

Anonymous said...

Did I read right? Alya not good enough for Gary?? That is your opinion of course, but I will agree to disagree with you. He's such a rubbish character. A waste of space is exactly what he is. Why wish him on any woman at all?
Why does everyone have to be 'paired' with someone else on the street? Rubbish again.
And pushy YASMEAN sputters on LIKE Dev uSeD to and is an annoying narcicist who listens to no one.
As far as soap standards go, this family brings down Coronation street in every way.

Zagg said...

Wow, Alya not good enough for Gary? That's an unusual statement. He is such a lose cannon with zero prospects and zero integrity, it would be a shame for any woman to be with him. I can't stand his character now. He just creeps me out.

Anonymous said...

Now that Leanne is going to be back at the bistro I predict that she will get back together with Nick.

vintgal003 said...

Really enjoying Yasmeen and Alya...the rest of that clan can go back to whence they came.... Also deep six the Leeanne/Kal duo....absolutely NOT believable...they do not work as a couple!

abbyk said...

I never minded Nick and Leanne, so if they do get back together, that would be fine.It will mean less screen time for Kal, also fine. He has zero chemistry with Leanne, is not believable as a trainer or ex-Army, and is a more overbearing parent of grown offspring than Gail. And he has a really stupid hair cut.

Yasmeen is okay, when she isn't yelling or bossing around Roy, but I'm not convinced yet. I wonder when she and Ken will get say hello -- they must have known each other with all the time he spent at the library. Sharif only comes alive when he's with Alya or rolling his eyes at Yasmeen. I wonder what the chickens will do for him. Maybe if he had a friend, like Roy...

Alya needs to disengage herself from Gary. She's clever, he's a dope. She's on her way up, he's on his way back to jail, and dragging her down in the process. Theirs is a pointless, painful to watch relationship. I hope Carla's paying her well enough so she can move in with Steph. They are two sensible bright young ladies who are going places. They could be the fun roommates.

Re: Zeedan, he's a healthy aimless young man. Why isn't his father encouraging him to join the Army? Or at least charging him rent to get him off his backside?

The more I see dysfunctional young'uns (Sophie, Zeedan, Gary, Katy, Todd, even Tracy), the more I like Luke and Steph. Same age, no visible parental help yet they go to work, get cleaned up, maintain their own homes and are pleasant to others. In other words, they're believable. One day they'll have a crisis, but I don't see either of them solving it by clocking the bad guy with a 2 by 4. Wish we could see more Britton, less Nazir.

Defrost Indoors said...

Yasmin has possibilities -- she needs to start mixing it up with Roy, Rita, Ken and the others -- as do Sharif and Alya. Kal is wooden and seems to have no role other than to boss his children around and sometimes remember he's dating Leanne. Zidane perpetually looks and acts like he's just gotten up.

njblas said...

Totally agree with your qualified approval of Sharif and Alya. Kal has been a huge disappointment to everyone it seems. His dullness is dragging Leanne down with him. Zeedan is atrocious and totally unappealing. But I think Yasmeen is easily the worst of the lot! Pushy, shouty and naggy:( And always portrayed in an unconvincing, overly-dramatic, actress-y manner which really grates. For me, she is approaching the irritation level previously only achieved by Stella Price. Ghastly - please go!!

BarrieT said...

Yasmeen and Shariff had the makings of good characters but unfortunately they both cannot act. This is is why Alya stands out in all their family scenes as she is the best actor out of them all. I think Zeedan is ok, typical teenager. Kal is so badly miscast that i feel so sorry for jane danson. He sucks the life out of every scene she appears in. She deserves so much better. Unfirtunately whilst pratt in the hat is producer he will never admit his own creation was a mistake. It will take a change in producer to axe them them all. I hope when that day comes they just save Alya.

Anonymous said...

I really enjoy the Nazirs and see them far differently than most, I think. Yasmeen is my favourite of them, by far and I really do love the relationship between her and Sharif. I think there is a great opportunity to explore cultural and religious differences in a relationship, which is why I've been interested in the romance between Gary and Alya. Zeedan I don't dislike. I see him as being a young man trying to make a place in the world while still dealing with profound loss. The actor is actually doing a good job on getting that across, I think. Kal is the weakest of the Nazirs, I agree there, but somehow I feel the family wouldn't be right without him in it. He is in the thick of it though. His parents nag at him, his kids defy him and I'm surprised he doesn't have a concussion with all the headbanging he must do in frustration.

Anonymous said...

Sorry, the heavily forced integration did not work. Good luck fixing it. What a mess of characters and shtupid storylines to boot!

Anonymous said...

The Nazir family can all go anytime :)
Why does Leanne allow herself to be humiliated by the Nazir family ? Makes me loathe them. Gary is boring with his rolling eyes, etc.
Time for this storyline to move way on..

GRITTY SAGAS BY CORRIE BLOG EDITOR GLENDA YOUNG, PUBLISHED BY HEADLINE. CLICK PIC BELOW!

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