He was born in Pakistan, the youngest son of an eye surgeon who moved to London to join Moorfields Eye Hospital. Art determined early on that he was English and never learned to speak Urdu or Hindi. He studied at Guildhall Drama School and while there got a part as a Buddist monk in a Peter Hall directed film and acted at the Old Vic and the Royal Shakespeare Company. He shot to fame playing an English public school educated Indian in ‘The Jewel in the Crown. He married the actress Gina Rowe who he met at drama school and they have two daughters, Jessica and Keira.
Art Malik
Movies
Mirzya
Bhaag Milkha Bhaag
The true story of the “Flying Sikh” – world champion runner and Olympian Milkha Singh — who overcame the massacre of his family, civil war during the India-Pakistan partition, and homelessness to become one of India’s most iconic athletes.
Fun Facts
Attended the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, London.
Is a member of the Royal Shakespeare company
Was offered the part of central villain Salim Abu Aziz in True Lies (1994), because director James Cameron was impressed by his work in City of Joy (1992).
Has two daughters with Gina Rowe - Jessica and Keira.
Appeared on BBC1's Question Time on 23.02.06 offering his opinions on topical subjects put forward by a studio audience
Asked twice by Steven Spielberg to act in his films - Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom (1984) and The Lost World: Jurassic Park (1997).
Appeared at a rally in support of Fair Votes voting reform at the Liberal Democrat party conference in Liverpool, September 2010.
Lives in Kingston-upon-Thames, Surrey, a south-west suburb of London.
Came to England from Pakistan when he was 4 years old. Later, at the age of 10, he moved back to Pakistan for one year to attend school, then back to England again the following year.
Struggled at school due to mild dyslexia.
Visited Edinburgh and Glasgow. [November 2006]
He has a grandson, Arlo, born in 2013/2014. He is a very doting grandfather.