August 17th 2024.
In the world around us, change is constant. It's a fact of life that we all have to adapt to, whether we like it or not. And in the world of Casualty, change is no different.
This year, we saw the arrival of Manpreet Bachu as the enthusiastic and lively Doctor Tariq Hussein. He may be the cousin of Rash Masum, but they couldn't be more different. While they may share a bloodline, their personalities and approach to life are worlds apart.
During our recent chat, Manpreet shared his thoughts on the relationship between Tariq and Rash. "Rash is very calculated, while Tariq lives in the moment. He doesn't tend to think about the future, he just focuses on the present," he explained. "Tariq is more social and outgoing, and he's really easy to get along with. I think that's where the friction between him and Rash comes from – Tariq is just so easy to get along with, whereas it's more of a struggle with Rash."
But despite his confident and cocky nature, Tariq has a good heart. "Everything he does comes from a genuine place, he's not malicious at all," Manpreet added. "But his downfall is that he doesn't think too far ahead. He just takes each day as it comes, which isn't always the best trait to have!"
In the last boxset of the medical drama, we saw a different side to Tariq as he tried to support Rash through a difficult time. After losing his father, Rash's mental health took a serious hit and he even tried to take his own life. But thanks to Tariq, he was saved in the nick of time.
Reflecting on filming those powerful scenes, Manpreet said: "Thankfully, the block we had and the director we worked with made it a lot easier than I thought it would be. As an actor, you feel a lot of pressure when you're tackling such sensitive topics. But the director and producer were very supportive and made sure we handled it with care and sensitivity."
Tonight, we see Rash and Tariq's relationship hit another hurdle as Rash discovers a shocking secret about his cousin. Delving into Tariq's past, Rash learns that he has a history of sleeping with his patients, which he justifies as consensual. But in the present day, Tariq is still repeating the same mistakes with a new patient, Yasmin.
"Rash is understandably horrified by Tariq's behaviour," Manpreet explained. "Tariq is in a vulnerable place right now, and Yasmin is offering him the love and care he desperately needs. But he's not thinking about the consequences. He's just living in the moment."
As the situation spirals out of control, Tariq's life is changed forever when Yasmin falls from a balcony during a heated argument. "The whole episode is quite a wild ride, as you see Tariq's slow descent into chaos and desperation," Manpreet teased. "He's trying to control the situation, but Yasmin is unpredictable and she knows how to entice him. Before he knows it, they're both drunk and high – and things take a dangerous turn."
Thankfully, Rash comes to Tariq's aid and helps him get Yasmin to the hospital. But this also means that Rash is now part of Tariq's secret. "Tariq knows he's in deep trouble when Rash gets involved," Manpreet revealed. "He's desperate to salvage the situation, but Rash makes him realise the gravity of what he's done. It's a devastating moment for Tariq – his whole world comes crashing down."
And if the secret were to be exposed, Rash would face serious consequences for his involvement. "Tariq would be devastated if Rash lost his job because of him," Manpreet said. "He's trying his best to be there for his cousin, but sometimes it feels like Rash just doesn't appreciate it. If the worst happened, Tariq might even consider moving away – it would be too much for him to handle."
But as Tariq's story continues to unfold, Manpreet is excited to see where his character's journey will take him. "Right now, Tariq is in a similar position to where Rash was in Breaking Point," he said. "He's on a path where there doesn't seem to be a good road to go down. Everything is against him and it's causing friction in other areas of his life too."
"It's quite exhausting!" he laughed. "But I think all of the challenges Tariq and Rash face together will only make their bond stronger. I don't want them to keep clashing – I'd love to see a more authentic sibling conflict between them. Maybe that could be fun to play!"
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