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Student off to Hogwarts - again

Deborah Haile
13/ 2/2006

MANCHESTER student Afshan Azad has landed another wizard role in her second box office blockbuster.

The 17-year-old from Longsight, is to repeat her role as Hogwarts' student Padma Patel in the new Harry Potter film, The Order of the Phoenix.

Afshan - who is studying for her AS levels at the Xaverian College, in Rusholme - was first cast as Padma in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire and was such a hit with fans that she regularly receives bundles of fan mail.

In the past few weeks she has already been to read-throughs, costume fittings and make-up sessions, for the new film in which experts will make her look identical to her on-screen twin, played by Birmingham actress Shefila Chowdhury.

"The Goblet of Fire was the best experience of my life," said Afshan. "The first day we had to do a cast read through, where we go through the whole script. I was a bit star struck. I was a big Harry Potter fan before."

Before being picked to play the part, the modest teenager had never done any acting. And she admits she only went to the audition at her former school - Whalley Range High School for Girls - for a laugh with her school pals.

She said: "I never in a million years thought anyone from Manchester was going to get it. And I never thought I would get it," she said.

But she now has to balance her acting with her studies. In a few months' time she sits her AS levels in biology, chemistry, English Language and business studies - so she is planning to continue her studies on the set of Harry Potter.

Afshan aims to be a journalist after completing her studies, but hasn't ruled out a career as an actress.

Tony Andrew, principal of Xaverian College, said: "We're very proud of Afshan's achievements both in and out of college. It takes a lot of dedication to be able to balance studying for important exams with playing a key role in a movie as big as Harry Potter."

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