Coronation Street excels at diversity.
ITV’s Coronation Street has been essential to British television for over six decades.
The show is renowned for its drama and socially relevant storylines.
Over the years, many South Asian characters have made their mark on the cobbles of the street.
These characters include members from Indian, Pakistani, Bengali, and Sri Lankan communities.
However, among all of them, there are a few that stand out on the soap.
DESIblitz proudly presents a list of five memorable South Asian characters from Coronation Street.
Ravi Desai (Saeed Jaffrey)
Saeed Jaffrey is a British-Indian actor – famous for his everlasting performances in British and Indian cinema.
His memorable roles include his characters in Shatranj Ke Khilari (1977), Gandhi (1982), and Ram Teri Ganga Maili (1985).
He joined Coronation Street as Ravi Desai in 1999, with his first appearance airing on January 22.
Despite only being in the show for seven months, Ravi created an impact through his key storylines.
During his time on the soap, Ravi enjoyed romances with Alma Baldwin (Amanda Barrie) and Audrey Roberts (Sue Nicholls).
Ravi also becomes the owner of the street’s corner shop and has his children working there.
This leads to tensions between the family as they disagree on how the shop should function.
On August 8, 1999, Ravi departed the cobbles to return to India, but not before establishing himself as the archetypal Indian patriarch.
The Desai family were the first South Asian clan in Coronation Street. Speaking of joining the show, Saeed said:
“Until now, I had never done a soap, so doing Coronation Street is yet another exciting and challenging first.”
Saeed also admitted that he preferred the show to BBC’s EastEnders which he found to be “violent”.
Sunita Alahan (Shobna Gulati)
Sunita is introduced to the show as Sunita Parekh on March 23, 2001.
Portrayed by a glamorous Shobna Gulati, Sunita causes quite a stir upon her arrival.
She seeks her boss Dev Alahan’s (Jimmi Harkishin) support when she does not want to agree to an arranged marriage.
Despite her parents threatening to disown her if she does not go through with the marriage, Sunita remains resolute.
This displays her determination and strength early in her time on the show.
During her first stint on the show, Shobna takes Sunita through various storylines, including her diagnosis of an aneurysm and a brain tumour and being held hostage by Maya Sharma (Sasha Behar).
Sunita falls in love with and marries Dev, and they become parents to twin children, Aadi (Zennon Ditchett) and Asha (Tanisha Gorey).
Their marriage soon ends in divorce, and Sunita leaves the show, ending her first stint.
When Shobna was reintroduced to the series in 2009, Sunita faced Aadi suffering a head injury and had a clandestine affair with Karl Munro (John Michie).
Sunita and Dev later agree to give their relationship another go, but tragedy strikes when a resentful Karl frames Sunita for a fire she did not cause.
Sunita is knocked unconscious, and Karl pulls out her oxygen tube in hospital, causing her to die from cardiac arrest, making her final appearance on April 3, 2013.
Although Sunita Alahan suffers a tragic end, what cannot be denied is the unforgettable drama the character brought to the cobbles.
Dev Alahan (Jimmi Harkishin)
Continuing with the Alahan family, we come to Sunita’s ex-husband, Dev Alahan.
Played by a talented Jimmi Harkishin, Dev arrived on Coronation Street on November 10, 1999.
Early on in his time on the street, Dev exposes a bitter ex-girlfriend, Amy Goskirk (Jayne Ashbourne), after she falsely claims to have tried killing herself.
After a failed romance with barmaid Geena Gregory (Jennifer James), Dev strikes up a relationship with Sunita.
However, Dev is a womaniser, having simultaneous relationships with multiple women, including Debs Brownlow (Gabrielle Glaister) and Tracy Barlow (Kate Ford).
He also sleeps with Tracy’s mother, Deirdre Barlow (Anne Kirkbride). When Dev chooses Sunita over Maya, Sharma falls through, and a vengeful Maya frames Sunita for an illegal immigration scam.
Maya also holds Dev and Sunita hostage, but they survive and become parents to twins.
However, Sunita is devastated when it emerges that Dev has secret children and grandchildren resulting from other relationships.
They divorced, and although they reconciled a few years later, Sunita tragically passed away from cardiac arrest in 2013.
In 2014, Dev becomes attracted to Stella Price (Michelle Collins), but she gently turns him down.
Dev Alahan’s womanising ways create a curious juxtaposition with his bravery and courage, making him one of the most intriguing characters in Coronation Street.
Alya Nazir (Sair Khan)
Brash and beautiful, Alya Nazir made her first appearance in the soap on June 25, 2014.
Part of the show’s first Muslim family, Alya is portrayed by a confident Sair Khan.
Alya catches the eye of several men on the cobbles and loses her virginity to Jason Grimshaw (Ryan Thomas).
However, there is much more to Alya than her looks and her romances.
She proves she is not to be messed with when she blackmails Sharif Nazir (Marc Anwar) after finding out about his affair.
From the blackmail, she obtains £15,000. Later, Alya defends herself when Carla Connor (Alison King) accuses her of being spoilt.
She shows a softer side when she sells the Underworld factory back to Carla’s family after realising how much it means to them.
In November 2024, Sair returned to the show following her maternity leave. She delved into what the audience can expect from Alya:
“Alya has definitely had a complete revamp, and I think getting away from the Street, really focusing on her career and where she wants to be, has ignited a new spark in her.
“She’s changed lanes a little bit in terms of her work and what she wants to do, but she’s putting her heart and soul and all of her passion into making her career a success and learning.
“And when she comes back onto the Street, you can tell that she’s been influenced by the place that she’s been working.
“It’s quite corporate, and her look has changed. I think she’s taken the opportunity to be a bit selfish, and I quite like that for her.”
Rana Habeeb (Bhavna Limbachia)
Gorgeous and sharp, Rana Habeeb made her first appearance in Coronation Street on February 19, 2016.
Bhavna Limbachia had already created an impression as Alia Khan in Citizen Khan.
It was, therefore, great for viewers to see a popular face in the street.
Initially portrayed as heterosexual, Rana embarks on a relationship with Zeedan Nazir (Qasim Akhtar), whom she later marries.
However, Rana falls in love with her female friend Kate Connor (Faye Brookes), and they passionately kiss.
The pair begin an affair, but when it is discovered, Rana is ostracised by her family and close ones.
She is even forced to lie that she is no longer with Kate just to see her dying father in the hospital.
Rana and Zeedan end their marriage, and she decides to marry Kate.
Devastatingly, on their wedding day, Rana dies when the Underworld factory collapses on her. On May 31, 2019, her ghost haunts the owner, Carla Connor.
On the same day, Rana’s murderer is revealed to be Gary Windass (Mikey North).
Explaining why Rana died, Bhavna said: “The truth is Rana would never leave Kate – their love is so pure.
“The only way they could be apart is if the decision was taken out of their hands.”
It is refreshing and progressive that a South Asian character was at the centre of a sexuality storyline. Bhavna’s amazing portrayal further ensures Rana Habeeb’s likeability.
Coronation Street excels at diversity, and these South Asian characters are strong examples of that.
These characters are imbued with courage, charisma, and relatability.
Many of them are firsts for their clans and for the show.
They are also portrayed by fantastic actors who understand and convey their importance with sensitive and nuanced performances.
For that, these characters deserve to be celebrated and championed.
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