Habiba Ahmed is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Rukku Nahar. The character and casting were announced in December 2018, along with that of Priya Davdra, who was cast as Habiba's older sister Iqra Ahmed. Nahar had grown up watching EastEnders and was excited to join the cast. The sisters were introduced as the granddaughters of established characters Arshad (Madhav Sharma) and Mariam Ahmed (Indira Joshi) and an extension of Masood Ahmed's (Nitin Ganatra) family. Habiba was characterised as attracting trouble despite her good intention, with Nahar calling her character mouthy, naïve and impulsive. The actress added that Habiba wants to take the stress off Iqra so she can enjoy herself. Habiba and Iqra's first appearance aired on 19 February 2019, and their initial storyline sees the sisters come to Walford to run Masood's restaurant, despite not having experience. The sisters are seen to be hiding a secret and it is revealed that Iqra ran away from an arranged marriage. Habiba initially clashes with several residents but it was teased that the sisters would also make good friends too.
Habiba later starts an affair with Adam Bateman (Stephen Rahman-Hughes), who is in a relationship with Honey Mitchell (Emma Barton). However, Habiba ends the affair when she realises that Adam will not leave Honey for her. Habiba then starts a secret relationship with Jags Panesar (Amar Adatia), the brother of Iqra's girlfriend Ash Panesar (Gurlaine Kaur Garcha). When the come become public, Jags and Ash's mother Suki Panesar (Balvinder Sopal) is furious and frames Jags for a crime he did not commit, leading to him being imprisoned for four years. A heartbroken Habiba unsuccessfully tries to get him released and is furious at the Panesars for their treatment of Jags. Nahar then left the role and her exit aired on 22 October 2020. In the storyline, Habiba makes Iqra choose between her and Ash and when Iqra refuses to do so, Habiba leaves Walford. Habiba continues to be mentioned as she gives birth to Jags' son Tyrion Ahmed the following year. Habiba received mostly positive reception from viewers and critics, although her exit was criticised. Critics noted how viewers were saddened and confused by her departure and wanted the character to return.
Casting and characterisation
On 20 December 2018, it was announced that Rukku Nahar had been cast as Habiba Ahmed on the BBC soap opera EastEnders along with Priya Davdra, who was cast as Habiba's sister Iqra Ahmed. Habiba and Iqra were both new regular characters. Nahar had previously portrayed Asha Kaur in Hollyoaks, another British soap opera. Nahar said of her EastEnders casting, "I'm so excited to have joined EastEnders, it's a show I've grown up watching and stepping onto Albert Square is just unreal. Habiba is great fun to play and I'm so happy to be working alongside Priya. Can't wait for you all to see what we get up to on the Square". Nahar explained that after she went back to the soap for another audition for the role, her agent called her to ask how she would feel about being on the soap and told her she had been successful in getting cast, which she was really excited about. She added, "I can't wait for to be on screen because it hasn't hit me yet, I still won't feel like I'm actually on the show until I've seen it." She did a joint birthday party and celebration of being cast on the soap due to her birthday being a week after the airing of her debut episode. She added that her favourite characters were Tracey (Jane Slaughter) and Mick Carter (Danny Dyer), the latter whom she quickly shared scenes with.
Habiba and Iqra were introduced as the granddaughters of established characters Arshad (Madhav Sharma) and Mariam Ahmed (Indira Joshi) and an extension of Masood Ahmed's (Nitin Ganatra) family. The sisters were reported as having been born and raised in the East End of London and characterised as being smart, confident, defiant and not stopping at anything to get what they want; Iqra was reported to be the younger sister of the pair and that she would consistently attract trouble despite having good intentions, and that Iqra is there to help her "clear up her mess". It was also reported that Iqra would find out that life in Walford, where EastEnders is set, is not easy especially when Habiba is involved. Senior executive producer of EastEnders Kate Oates teased of the new characters, "The sisters are certainly going to be a force to be reckoned with. Their arrival will throw number 41 into chaos as they become a nightmare for Mariam and Arshad. Residents of Walford beware, take on one of the sisters and you take on the pair." Davdra teased that the girls would make good friends in addition to enemies.
Nahar said of Iqra and Habiba, "They're really funny together – I feel like they'll bring a lot of excitement and fun. Also, I think even though they seem like they're enjoying themselves, there is a serious side to them and even more so with Iqra. I think that’s what can cause Habiba to not have so much of a serious head on when it comes to life. She wants to try and take the stress off her sister and enjoy herself." Nahar believed that Habiba was a very heightened version of herself, explaining, "She is me times ten! She is such a ball of energy, but can be naïve and also impulsive. Habiba is very mouthy too. I'd say she's a bit of a troublemaker but not intentionally. I feel like she causes trouble without knowing she's doing it..." Davdra added, "Expect full-on drama, trouble and a lot of fun. They are both very strong women and know how to get what they want - it's going to be an interesting journey!" In June 2019, Nahar and Davdra said that they were settling in despite still feeling new to the soap, and revealed that they sometimes got a bit lost on set. They also believed that they were showing a good rapport onscreen.
Development Introduction and family
Upon Habiba and Iqra's debut, it was reported that they would immediately make enemies of existing characters. It was also reported that they would be hiding a big secret. The sisters made their first appearance in the episode originally airing on 19 February 2019. Of filming her first scenes, Nahar explained that she had met Davdra a few days before she filmed her first scenes, which were also with Nahar; she added that filming together was fun as she felt that she had known Nahar for a long time, adding, "I feel like there is a lot of energy between us, we bounce off each other. I love the way we come in, it's full of energy and is a great introduction." In their opening scene, Iqra has to jump over the barrier at the tube station after Habiba accidentally throws her card under a newspaper stand. They then visit Masood's business, Walford East, before visiting any of their family members. The sisters arrive just as Masood is about to leave Walford and he is surprised to see them and suspicious that there is more to their unexpected visit. Habiba and Iqra tell Masood that they have been drafted in to look after the business by their family, although Masood does not believe this. Masood then catches the sisters firing the agency staff and vowing that they will run the restaurant instead, with Habiba being responsible for front of house and Iqra being the new chef. When Iqra objects, Habiba says that the other option is to return home and face the consequences. The sisters tell Masood that they want to be successful like him, but he does not believe them, but he decides to leave the sisters to it as he has already sold his part of the business and he leaves Walford. Masood briefly threatens to call the sisters' parents, which highly concerns them.
Nahar explained that Habiba and Iqra get a warm welcome from some characters due to them being related to Masood, and hence there are "people they know and are able to turn to", but they also clash with others too. The sisters are firmly set on running the Walford East restaurant and try to rally business in the Queen Vic Pub; this leads to them quickly getting "on the wrong side" of the Slater family due to Habiba's clash with Kat Slater (Jessie Wallace), with Kat even calling Habiba "Haribo". Habiba and Iqra take a liking to the married Martin Fowler (James Bye) and they are warned off by flirting with him by Kat and others. Although Habiba is angered by her clash with Kat, she plans revenge on the pub's landlord Mick Carter (Danny Dyer) when she hears him tell Kat for not doing her cleaning job properly, so she spills a drink on him. Habiba's behaviour there confused Iqra. Habiba then sets the fire alarm off and steals Mick's waistcoat to give to Kat as revenge for him telling her off; this impresses Kat and she invites the sisters for a drink. Nahar explained that whilst the sisters do cause trouble, it is not their intention. She also explained that whilst the sisters bring "excitement and fun", they have a serious side too, and that Habiba is less serious in her attitude towards life than Iqra as she is trying to take the stress off her older sister and help Iqra enjoy herself. Of the sisters running the restaurant, Nahar revealed that other characters would soon notice that Iqra and Habiba do not have a lot of experience and are "winging it", and she believed that it would be humorous to watch them attempt to manage it. Davdra explained that the sisters want to run the restaurant well but have not worked in one before; she added that they came to Walford with a "clear goal in mind and will do anything to get what they want".
In the storyline, Habiba is seen to be "overly enthusiastic" about running the restaurant well, but she shuts Iqra down when she suggests that they should contact their parents to tell them how they are doing. Iqra is annoyed when Habiba hires Ruby Allen (Louisa Lytton) to support their promotional event as she is worried about how they will pay her, and Iqra is shocked when she learns what Habiba did to get money. It is later revealed that Iqra had run away from an arranged marriage and fears she will be unable to return the money spent on the ceremony, although Habiba tells her sister that she did the right thing as that marriage was about business and not love. Both girls also feel that their father will not forgive them for running away, but Habiba says that they should embrace their new life and not shut themselves away. A few weeks after starting their work in Walford East, Habiba and Iqra worry when Mel Owen (Tamzin Outhwaite) tries to get the girls fired in an attempt to raise money for the solicitor of her incarcerated son Hunter Owen (Charlie Winter).
Affair with Adam