Hollyoaks star promises ‘iconic’ moments for ‘powerhouse’ couple Imran and Leah

Imran Maalik and Leah Barnes serving showbiz sass with social media campaigns, sports cars, matchmaking and parties in honour of themselves was not on my Hollyoaks bingo card.

But, after chatting to returning actor Ijaz Rana, I have to say I am absolutely here for it.

Now sporting a suave beard – with Ijaz himself loving his own new look and, why shouldn’t he? – Imran is a changed character, this time leaving behind his chain of traumas and embracing life.

Leah, previously played by Ela-May Demircan and now portrayed by newcomer Charlotte Riley, comes back as a force of nature, arm in arm with a now pretty wealthy Imran.

And, while glossy promo pics might have hinted at superficiality, Ijaz insists that the pair are the real deal – and will bring some fun and laughs to the village of doom.

‘Imran loves Leah,’ he declared in an exclusive chat with Metro. ‘This was one of my first questions, how deep is his love for Leah? He loves her deeply, he cares for her a lot, he has her best interests in mind, and I think the feeling is mutual.

‘I think that’s what makes them such a powerhouse coming into this. They’re a unit and nothing’s going to break them apart, and it’s nice to see how that plays out.

‘Definitely. ‘Working with Charlotte has been great, and we have a really good chemistry on and off-screen, and all of that translates into the material that we’re doing.

‘Obviously, that dynamic plays out into the stories that we do because we’re a team and it’s nice to see how we bounce off each other in scenes like that, and it’s been lovely so far seeing that dynamic.’

Building on that, he continued: ‘I don’t know if you know, but there’s a lot of drama happening in Hollyoaks! It’s one of the main reasons for us coming back into it, to bring that breath of fresh air.

‘And with the new set and all of that, it’s given us a chance to have lighthearted scenes as well as meaty stuff, but also a lot of fun stuff, mixing with the other characters and seeing how they react to our wealth. Scenes like that are great, and we can feel the energy on set with those scenes. It’s always a good day with scenes like that.’

Both Ijaz and Imran are changed people in the four years they have been away from Hollyoaks.

Imran is now swimming in self-made cash and exudes a new confidence and lust for life.

And Ijaz, who admits he had never closed the door on Imran but was still not expecting the call from boss Hannah Cheers, has been exploring the production side of drama. It has given him a new approach to portraying the alter-ego he knows so well.

‘It was nice getting into behind the screen stuff while I was off, and it has given me an insight as an actor as well, coming back into Hollyoaks,’ he said with a grateful smile. ‘It’s a different point of view for me.

‘I just have a better understanding of the whole eco-system. It helps you when you first step in front of the camera in terms of what the different departments need and what you can do from your side to help everyone out. It’s definitely a different perspective.

‘It feels like I’ve been on a long holiday and I’ve just come back. It’s been lovely. It helps when you’re really enjoying the material that you’re doing, because everyone gets into it and eggs you on. It’s been nothing but great for me.’

So what of Imran. How has he gone from tormented, long-suffering teen to a man with magnitude?

When I probed him to get the goss on what Imran has been up to while he has been away, Ijaz didn’t know where to start.

‘I think it’s a question of what hasn’t he been up to! Honestly, when I got pitched the story by the producer, I was like, “This was not what I expected…”

‘Because the first time round, Imran was this character who had storylines around social issues and all of that, and it was great getting my teeth into that, but getting off and coming back and seeing what he’s been up to in America.

‘He’s found his love in Leah abroad, and they’ve connected off-screen and now they’re going to come back into it together. He’s gone off and created his own wealth in the tech industry. He’s really clued up in that which helps him in the village as well. I think the dynamic with Leah is amazing. That’s been vital to us coming back on-screen, and I’m really excited to see where all that goes.

‘I’m loving it! ‘What I enjoy the most is that I’m getting to do scenes with so many characters that I never would have had the chance to before, and connect further, because with Imran the first time round, it was the Maaliks who were his world and he had all these different dynamics in that family, but he didn’t really branch out enough, in my opinion.

‘But now, that’s all he’s doing, and it’s great. It’s great that I can explore that side of the village as well and get to know the different characters.’

There is a lot to look forward to! The glam pairing soon target a romance campaign for Vicky – to an extent for social media content!

And, as if that wasn’t brazen enough, they then host a gigantic welcome home party – for themselves!

Ijaz laughed: ‘The welcome home party and exploring the new set, and seeing the dynamics between the young characters – ‘t is pretty iconic stuff and later on down the line I’m sure there’s more to come regarding that.

‘I feel like half of Hollyoaks’ budget is going on these two characters now! It’s endless. It’s like nothing’s off the table. It’s great. The wardrobe – I had a three-hour costume fitting. It was great!’

And coy Ijaz is not ruling out a wedding of the century some time in the future.

One can only imagine what that would look like – the paparazzi better be ready!