Coventry actor Nitin Ganatra's 'coping mechanism' that him through lockdown

Former Eastenders actor Nitin Ganatra from Coventry has hosted his first exhibitions of paintings after using the skill through his childhood and lockdown. Nitin is best recognised for his role as Masood Ahmed on Eastenders and grew up in the family corner shop in the city, which has been around for over 45 years.

The former Coundon Court student said he had a tough upbringing where he was beaten up on his way to school and back, with school teachers even using racist names and expressions. He said drawing and painting allowed him to find peace from the 'daily violence and racism'.

He told the BBC that he would draw and paint 'relentlessly' as a coping mechanism as a child, and the same thing happened during lockdown when it triggered his depression: "I literally shut down and focused on a piece of paper with pens as they were cheaper than pencils at the time."

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He started painting when he was 10 and said he would create a painting and 'put it in a box', but when he posted one of his creations on social media, the response grew: "Suddenly it became a reality that I could possibly start being the person that I wanted to be. Going back to painting was like falling in love with the younger me again."

Nitin described painting as his 'first love' and told BBC Radio London that he was sitting near an art dealer who looked at his work when he was on his way to university. However, his hopes were shattered when the dealer told him he was 'never going to make it,' so he decided to become an actor.

He worked on Eastenders for nine years as part of the Masood family alongside Nina Wadia, who played his wife Zainab. When asked if he will return to the soap for its 40th anniversary in February 2025, he said: "I get asked this every day, but as far as I know, but not as far as I know. I haven't had that phone call yet. But never say never. I'll take my canvas with me."

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