Why Harry Potter actress Afshan Azad was Forced to Flee Home

Afshan Azad, who played Padma Patil in the Harry Potter films, now lives a much quieter life far from the spotlight.

The former actress, now 37, was just a teenager from Manchester when she was cast in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire.

She ended up featuring in the remaining instalments but stepped away from the industry after Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2 in 2011.

A brief return to screens in 2017 saw her take on a presenting role, during which she told fans she had spent the years after Harry Potter “travelling, eating a lot of food, and generally loving life back at home”.

But amid her fame, Afshan was dealing with a serious family trauma.

In 2010, she was violently attacked by her brother Ashraf Azad after he discovered she was dating a Hindu man.

Their family were described in court as “devout Muslims” and the relationship sparked a rage that led to a prolonged assault at their home in Longsight.

Ashraf reportedly shouted: “I can hear you from here.

“Who the f**k do you think you are talking to? Watch what I will do.”

He threw her across the room, punched her repeatedly, and pulled her by the hair as she begged him to stop.

The violence continued as he dragged her to their father’s bedroom and urged him to “sort your daughter out” for bringing shame to the family.

Ashraf then tried to strangle her and searched for a knife while shouting:

“I’m going to kill you. I’m actually going to kill you.”

Afshan Azad fled the family home the following morning by climbing out of her bedroom window and sought safety with friends in London.

Prosecutor Richard Vardon QC said at the time:

“She was feeling very scared. She felt that if she stayed, things would get much worse. She said she was in genuine fear for her life.”

At the time, she had been studying for her AS levels at Xaverian College and had only auditioned for Harry Potter “for a laugh”.

Reflecting on the experience, she said: “It was the best experience of my life. I was a bit starstruck – I was a big Harry Potter fan.”

Ashraf later pleaded guilty to assault and was sentenced to six months in prison.

The judge, Roger Thomas QC, said the court needed to send a “clear message” that domestic violence “cannot be tolerated”.

Their father, Abul Azad, accepted a £500 peace bond to avoid a jail sentence.

Although both Ashraf and Abul were initially charged with making threats to kill, they were later found not guilty.

Afshan Azad did not testify and wrote a letter asking the court to be lenient.

The judge read from her statement: “She expresses good feelings about her family in general and brother in particular.

“She expresses concern about being estranged from her family.”

Her lawyer John Wolfson added:

“This is a desperately sad situation. She never wanted her father or brother locked up.”

According to him, she had even tried to retract her police statement and urged the Crown Prosecution Service to drop the case.

The court heard Ashraf blamed his actions on alcohol and was “utterly ashamed by his behaviour”.

In the years since, Afshan Azad has gradually reconnected with fans of the wizarding world.

She remains active on Instagram, where she posts updates about her life with husband Nabil Kazi and their two daughters.

She continues to attend events celebrating Harry Potter, and recently posted a photograph at a convention in Germany beside a poster of her character.

Afshan wrote: “I was once in a film you may have watched… how lucky are we that we still get to travel to meet our incredible fans!”

Despite quitting acting, Afshan Azad remains a beloved figure among Harry Potter fans and continues to engage with them while choosing to lead a life shaped more by family, resilience and reflection than fame.