Afshan Azad

Afshan Azad
Native name আফসান আজাদ
Born (1989-02-12) 12 February 1989
Longsight, Manchester, England
Nationality British
Alma mater Xaverian College
Occupation Actress, model
Years active 2005–present
Known for Padma Patil in the Harry Potter film series
Height 5 ft 6 in (1.68 m)
Parent(s) Abdul Azad (father)
Relatives Ashraf Azad (brother)

Afshan Azad (born 12 February 1989) is an English actress and model of Bangladeshi descent. She is best known for playing the role of Padma Patil in the Harry Potter film series, except for Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, where the character of Padma was portrayed by Sharon Sandhu.

Early life

Azad was born in Longsight, Manchester, England. Her parents came from Bangladesh. She attended Whalley Range High School, and then studied AS-level Chemistry, Biology, English and Business Studies at Xaverian College in Rusholme.[1]

Career

Azad is known for her performances as Padma Patil in five of the Harry Potter films, starting with 2005's Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. She acquired the role when casting agents visited her school and, after having attended several auditions, chose her for the part. Azad had stated that she had auditioned "just for the fun of it" and surprisingly got the part.[2]

She has also told the press that her best friends on the set of Harry Potter were Bonnie Wright (Ginny Weasley), Jessie Cave (Lavender Brown), Katie Leung (Cho Chang), Evanna Lynch (Luna Lovegood), and Scarlett Byrne (Pansy Parkinson). Azad and Shefali Chowdhury (who played the character of Azad's twin sister Parvati Patil) were also good friends.[2]

Assault court case

When 22, Azad's father and brother attacked her because of her relationship with a non-Muslim man (he was Hindu).[3][4] She was branded a prostitute by her brother and her father was said to have threatened to take her to Bangladesh and force her into an arranged marriage.[5]

On 29 June 2010, Azad's father, Abdul Azad, and brother, Ashraf Azad, appeared in Manchester Magistrates' Court, charged with threatening to kill her.[6] They were released on bail. Azad's brother was charged with "assault occasioning actual bodily harm", whilst Azad stayed with friends in London.[7][8] On 20 December 2010, Azad did not attend court when the prosecution accepted her brother's guilty plea to assault occasioning actual bodily harm and a judge ruled both men were not guilty of threatening to kill Azad.[9] On 21 January 2011, Azad's brother was imprisoned for six months.[10]

Filmography

Year Title Role Notes
2005 Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire Padma Patil
2007 Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix Also provided voice for the video game
2009 Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
2010 Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 1
2011 Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2

See also

References

  1. ↑ Halle, Deborah (13 February 2006). "Student off to Hogwarts – again". Manchester: Manchester Evening News. Retrieved 24 June 2009.
  2. 1 2 "NR chats to GOF's Patil twins". Newsround. BBC. 17 November 2005. Retrieved 11 February 2007.
  3. ↑ "Family 'attack' on Harry girl". The Sun. 1 July 2010. Retrieved 3 July 2010.
  4. ↑ Black, Caroline (2 July 2010). "Afshan Azad Allegedly Threatened and Assaulted by Family, Say Reports". Crimesider. London: CBS News. Archived from the original on 4 July 2010. Retrieved 3 July 2010.
  5. ↑ "Harry Potter actress was beaten and branded a prostitute by her brother after dating man 'who was not a Muslim'". Mail Online. 21 January 2011. Retrieved 13 May 2015.
  6. ↑ "Harry Potter girl's family arrested over threats". ninemsn. 13 September 2009. Archived from the original on 4 July 2010. Retrieved 3 July 2010.
  7. ↑ "Family 'attack' on Harry girl". London: The Sun. 1 July 2010. Retrieved 3 July 2010.
  8. ↑ "Afshan Azad Allegedly Threatened and Assaulted by Family, Say Reports". CNN. 2 July 2010. Archived from the original on 5 July 2010. Retrieved 3 July 2010.
  9. ↑ "Harry Potter actress's brother admits attacking her". BBC News. 20 December 2010. Retrieved 20 December 2010.
  10. ↑ "Harry Potter actress's brother jailed for attacking her". BBC News. 2 July 2010. Retrieved 3 July 2010.

External links

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