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Atta Yaqub

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Atta Yaqub
Born1979 (age 44–45)
NationalityBritish
EducationIT management
Alma materUniversity of Strathclyde
Occupation(s)Actor, model
Years active2004– present
Known forAe Fond Kiss...

Atta Yaqub (born 1979) is a Scottish model and actor of Pakistani/Punjabi descent. He played the lead role in the 2004 film Ae Fond Kiss....

Career

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Yaqub was born in Glasgow to Pakistani parents in 1979. Yaqub began modelling as a young adult. He appeared in ads for The Royal Bank of Scotland and Cruise.[1] He made his acting debut in Ken Loach's film Ae Fond Kiss where he played a Pakistani Muslim man who falls in love with an Irish Catholic woman.[2] For his role he was nominated for a British Independent Film Award for Best Newcomer.[3]

He featured in Running in Traffic and Nina's Heavenly Delights. In 2011 he entered international cinema with the German film Fernes Land (Junction Point) and Sabiha Sumar's Rafina.[4] In 2012 he joined the cast of the BBC Three drama Lip Service.[5]

Personal life

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Yaqub has a degree in IT management and also works as a counselor, advising drug addicts. He is a representative for the Goethe-Institut.[6] He goes to schools around Scotland to promote the Show Racism The Red Card programme.[7] He was also involved in the "One Scotland, Many Cultures" anti-racism campaign.[8] Yaqub speaks English and Punjabi fluently as well as some Urdu and German.[6] Yaqub was educated at Shawlands Academy, Glasgow.[9]

In 2009, Yaqub criticised Prince Harry for making what he saw as prejudiced comments about Pakistanis and asked for a personal apology.[10]

Filmography

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Year Film Role Notes
2004 Ae Fond Kiss... Casim Khan
Doctors Madhav Verma "Party Games"
2005 The Camping Trip Sunny
Meet the Magoons Suky Riprah "Stairway to Havan"
Perfect Day Ash
Pakistani Actually Himself Documentary
2006 New Street Law Nadeem Rashid Season 1, Episode 5
Explosions Hassans
Nina's Heavenly Delights Kary Shah
2007 Karachi Uncovered Himself BBC documentary
2009 Running in Traffic Amman
2011 Fernes Land[11] Haroon German-language film
2012 Lip Service Season 2[5]
2015 Good Morning Karachi Jamal
2017 T2 Trainspotting Medical student

References

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  1. ^ "25 Atta Yaqub". The Scotsman. 9 November 2003. Retrieved 7 May 2012.
  2. ^ "Ae Fond Kiss ... - Rotten Tomatoes". RottenTomatoes.com. 30 April 2017.
  3. ^ Dawtrey, Adam (30 November 2004). "'Drake' takes the cake". Variety. Retrieved 10 October 2021.
  4. ^ Mahmood, Rafay (24 February 2011). "Sabiha's cinderella". The Express Tribune. Retrieved 7 May 2012.
  5. ^ a b Wilson, Caroline (25 May 2011). "Kiss star Atta joins gay drama". Evening Times. Retrieved 29 May 2011.
  6. ^ a b "Screen star visits St Andrews school". Fife Today. 25 March 2012. Retrieved 7 May 2012.
  7. ^ Sandhu, Sukhdev (17 September 2004). "When sex meets sectarianism". The Daily Telegraph. London. Retrieved 1 December 2008.[dead link]
  8. ^ "Adverts used in anti-racism fight". BBC News. 10 February 2005.
  9. ^ "Eye For Film: Atta Yaqub on Ae Fond Kiss". www.eyeforfilm.co.uk. Retrieved 21 July 2021.
  10. ^ Larkin, Mike (11 January 2009). "Leading Asian Condemn Prince". Sunday Times.
  11. ^ "Scots star heads to Germany". Evening Times. 5 April 2010. Retrieved 29 May 2011.
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