Athar ul-Haque Malik, better known as Art Malik, is a Pakistani-born British television and movie actor, who made his acting and television debut 1978 with the television series Mixed Feelings. He went on to star in a couple of television series after that, however, only received his big break with the 1984 drama A Passage to India. He was a part of the Bollywood biopic Bhaag Milkha Bhaag, and the 2016 romantic-drama Mirzya.

Early Life
Son of Zaibunisa and Mazhar ul-Haque Malik, Athar ul-Haque Malik was born in Bahawalpur, Pakistan, on the 13th of November 1952. However, his family and he moved to Britain when his father started working with Moorfields Eye Hospital as an ophthalmic surgeon when Malik was only but three years old. He studied at a school in Quetta, Balochistan, for a year, after which he pursued his studies at the Bec Grammar School in Upper Tooting, London. Given that Malik suffered from dyslexia, he found academics extremely difficult. He tried studying business studies for a year and failed at it, after which he took up acting at the Questors Theatre for a year, where he received a scholarship to Guildhall School of Music and Drama. Soon, he began working with The Old Vic and Royal Shakespeare Company, where he went on to play the titular role in the Shakespeare play, Othello.

Personal Life
He met Gina Rowe in drama school and got married to her in 1980, with whom he has two daughters, Keira ul-Haque Malik and Jessica ul-Haque Malik.

Television Career
Malik made his acting debut by appearing in one episode of the television series Mixed Feelings in 1978. He went on to be a part of a number of television shows such as The Professionals, ITV Playhouse, Crown Court, among many others before he finally gained popularity and fame with his portrayal of the doomed young Indian Hari Kumar in the show The Jewel in the Crown. He was also seen in the crime and mystery series The Black Tower where he played the role of Julius Court. Malik appeared in a number of TV movies such as Death Is Part of the Process, Harem, Shadow of the Cobra, and Age of Treason to name a few. In recent times, he appeared in the American crime-drama Homeland in 2014, where he played the role of Bunny Latif.

Movie Career
While Malik was filming for the television show The Jewel in the Crown, David Lean cast him in the 1984 drama A Passage to India, which won him recognition. After having appeared in the drama, he was seen in the movie Underworld the following year. While continuing his work in television shows and TV movies, Malik also appeared in a string of movies such as The Living Daylights, Hostage, True Lies, Tabloid, and Out Done among many others. The Sex and the City actor made his Bollywood debut only in 2013 with Bhaag Milkha Bhaag, where he played the role of Milkha Singh`s father. His next Bollywood venture was Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra`s 2016 romantic drama Mirzya, co-starring Harshvardhan Kapoor and Saiyami Kher.