Rana Habeeb

Rana Nazir (née Habeeb) is the daughter of Hassan and Saira Habeeb, sister of Imran Habeeb, and an old university friend of Alya Nazir. She is currently in relationship with Kate Connor, but is still married to Alya's brother Zeedan. The pair are in the process of getting a divorce.

Biography
In February 2016 Rana sent Alya a birthday card and the next day they decided to meet up and have dinner at Nick's Bistro. Rana soon took a shine to Alya's brother Zeedan and the pair began a relationship. However their time together was short due to Rana's flirtatious nature with other men which caused Zeedan to split up with her. In July the couple reconciled.

When Jim McDonald had been diagnosed with the genetic disorder myotonic dystrophy in October, alarm bells rang for his son Steve. As well as himself and daughter Amy Barlow at risk from the disorder, he'd also impregnated both Michelle Connor and Leanne Battersby, and discovered their babies could also be at risk. Steve and Michelle spoke to Rana to see if she knew anything about the disease, and she gave the couple some information.

Zeedan proposed to Rana in November that year, and Rana supported Zeedan when it was revealed that Sharif Nazir, Zeedan's grandfather, had been having an affair with a woman named Sonia Rahman. Zeedan then began to question his beliefs in marriage, and after an awkward meal with Rana's parents, he broke off their engagement. Rana was crushed and felt adamant that this was the end of her relationship with Zeedan, however family friend, Leanne helped reconcile the pair. Zeedan and Rana decided to marry immediately after their reconciliation to seal their love for one another, with Rana's parents (Hassan and Saira Habeeb), Yasmeen, Leanne and Nick Tilsley witnessing the Nikah ceremony.

Soon after their marriage, Zeedan was keen to have children but Rana was less certain. Not wanting to upset her husband, Rana secretly began taking contraceptive pills. A few weeks later, she did tell Zeedan that she wasn't ready to start a family yet, which he accepted.

In 2017, Rana met Kate Connor, when she went over to 6 Coronation Street to help plan Alya's birthday celebration. At Kate's suggestion, they eventually went to a lesbian bar. They became fast friends. Rana assisted Kate and her father, as Johnny Connor was diagnosed as suffering with MS.

Later that year, Rana immediately regretted Kate hooking up with Imogen Pascoe as a result of playing wing woman. They fell out as Kate accused Rana of being homophobic. After Rana broke up with Kate, Imogen spitefully tipped her off that it was desire for Kate, not homophobia, but Todd Grimshaw overheard. Rana denied it, but he set her up to be sorted out by telling Rosie and Sophie Webster that Rana needed cheering up. Rana got drunk and proceeded to show Kate how she was feeling by kissing her. Rana pursued Kate, including a final bid on her legal wedding day to get Kate to confess her feelings, so they could work things out. Rana shared an emotional moment with Kate after she crashed her wedding reception.

Zeedan, in another attempt to get Kate and Rana to kiss and make up, surprised Rana by informing her that she would have to accompany Kate to a catering event. They set off in the Speed Daal van that Rana had purchased with her entrepreneurial spirit and encouragement of her husband's culinary aspirations. When the van broke down, Kate finally snapped, which led to Rana reciprocating Kate's confession of love with a passionate kiss that started her affair with Kate. Luke Britton discovered that Rana really did have these feelings and put pressure on Rana, in particular, to come clean to Zeedan. Rana remained steadfast in her love for Kate, but struggled to come to terms with her sexual orientation, losing the family she had built with the Nazirs, the likely rejection of her own family, breaking Zeedan's heart, and facing homophobia in society. Michelle Connor became witness to Rana and Kate’s romantic assignation, during her robbery of Viaduct Bistro. Rana was concerned for the welfare of the unknown thief after Kate smashed a bottle over the robber's head and whisked her away to safety. This led to Michelle lending Kate her the keys to her flat at 9 Victoria Court. They finally consummated their affair.

In 2018, Rana was crushed, when Kate finally angrily lost faith that Rana would tell Zeedan so they could be together. Her best friend Alya, husband Zeedan and lover Kate were devastated by the news of Luke's brutal murder, just a day after the fallout of Rana not telling Zeedan. Kate and Rana broke up, so Rana could support Alya and Zeedan. Unable to be with Kate herself, wanting Kate loved and supported, and unsure of Kate’s feelings, Rana encouraged Sophie Webster to date Kate.

Even though Rana thought Kate is lost to her, she couldn’t contain her feelings any longer after Luke’s funeral and confessed to Zeedan that she was in love with someone else. Rana got outed by Kate to Zeedan and told her brother that night, after Zeedan didn’t let her back in the house. Zeedan outed her with threats to her parents that then bribe him with a contract. She was disgusted and horrified, when he manipulated her guilt to him and care for Alya, into the agreement to remain married to him for a year, so he had the capital to start a cafe. Her brother Imran also encouraged the deal after Rana declared Kate was a snake, to his inquiry about the status of her continued interest. Zeedan outed Rana to Leanne, who outed Rana to Yasmeen. Yasmeen outed Rana to Cathy Matthews. The toll this took on Rana wasn’t directly explored.

Rana revealed that her marriage to Zeedan was now fake, the ugly contract and that she loved Kate so much, when Kate came around to reveal she discovered Zeedan tried it on with Leanne Battersby. This reunion of the lovers' heart-to-heart got interrupted by Zeedan, resulting in Rana making it clear she would be with Kate, contract or no contract. They agreed to uphold the pretence of the contract, but Kate and Rana eventually got discovered by Alya, Hassan and Saira on the living room couch. Alya proceeded to out Rana to everyone in the Rovers. Rana tried to make amends for dissolving the disgusting contract that sold her and with its end, so ended Zeedan’s hush money. Saira tricked Rana into volunteering to accompany her mother to Pakistan to assist her disowned ailing aunt. Rana received Kate’s mother’s protection rune and best wishes for reconciliation with her mother. Thankfully, Yasmeen, Kate, Imran and Zeedan discovered the scheme and sped to keep Rana from boarding a plane to Pakistan, a trip her parents meant for her to never return from. Rana was distraught and angry and her parents disowned her and her brother disowned them. She returned to the Nazirs' shook. Rana continued to try to please everyone, but herself and Alya and thereby didn’t truly satisfy anyone. She saved the opening of Speed Daal, by asking Imran to find investors and Imran himself invested. It got worse when Hassan accused Rana of having reported her to the police and telling her that he wished she’d never been born. Rana felt betrayed by Kate and went to the Weatherfield Police Station to get her mother released. She forgave her swiftly, after she realised the truth, through consequences of what Kate said about her giving Zeedan false hope transpired.

The day after the day Aidan Connor's suicide was discovered, Rana packed her bag and went to be with Kate. This continued to grow the rift with Alya.

Sophie Webster was angry with Rana for not helping her prove the medical professionals were to blame for her brother not being diagnosed sooner with sepsis. This culminated in Sophie slapping Rana for suggesting that Sophie was upset about her and Kate, instead of just being a face of the NHS. They later made up.

In August 2018, Rana's father was having a birthday party and didn't invite her. She encouraged Imran to go even though he was reluctant. Her father had a stroke at his party and that led to his death. Before he died, her mother wouldn't let her in to see him. Kate suggested lying to her mum and to tell her that she had broken up with her. Rana adamantly refused and with the help of Billy Mayhew tried to sneak in to see her dad. When that didn't work she ended up lying to her mum, saying things were over between her and Kate. She didn't tell her mum the truth for a while and that led to her moving out. Kate was becoming frustrated at having to lie and hide again. Rana told her mum the truth about her and Kate after Saira had said about getting Imran to split his inheritance with her. Her mum eventually came around and still wanted her to go on a six-week cruise with her. She went back to her flat she shared with Kate and Kate told her that if she went on the cruise she wouldn't wait for her. Both of them knew that it was an empty threat.

Personality
Rana entered the street as a confident man eater and party girl. For all her bravado of doing as she wants without her parents' unobtainable approval, she betrays this facade with her desire to please them. She eagerly receives their faint praise for her marriage to Zeedan, his business prospects with Speed Daal, hoped the contract will allow her to reconcile with her parents and falling for their scheme to get to remove her from England to Pakistan. She boldly pursues her love or dreams. She has a very caring, nurturing and supportive side. She has a Muslim upbringing and observed Ramadan. She might participate additionally in Muslim culturally, but not religiously outside of her Nikah and the moment visiting an Imam on her wedding day, when she was lost and lonely. She takes on guilt to self destructive levels and seems to behave as if nothing is enough to absolve it.

First and last lines
"So sorry I'm late. Gosh, you must hate me. 'Scuse me, sorry. Town was a nightmare and then the bus broke down. I was like that to the driver: 'Hey pal, I'm meeting my old mate from uni'". (First line, to Alya Nazir)