Acting

Sharif Dorani

Sharif was born in Kabul, Afghanistan, at the time of the Soviet Union's occupation of the country. The Soviet occupation, the Mujahideen Civil War and the Taliban's initial takeover of Kabul in 1996 forced Sharif (with his parents and siblings) to flee to many countries, including Pakistan, Iran and the Central Asian States. While the numerous journeys weren't easy, they had their advantage: the exposure enabled Sharif to learn about different cultures and speak numerous languages, including Pashto, Dari, Farsi, Urdu, Hindi, Russian, and some Arabic. After a long and dangerous voyage in late 1999, Sharif, along with his parents, claimed asylum in the UK. Although he'd come far away from the danger of the brutal wars, a new set of challenges presented themselves; chief among them was the language. But Sharif knew he had to learn English and catch up on his education. He committed to studying during the day and worked at night (in factories or as a pizza delivery driver). The hard work paid off: he gained undergraduate and master's degrees in Law from The University of Northampton and UCL, respectively, and a PhD in the United States' Middle Eastern Policy from Durham University. While he learned to love the UK and adopted it as a second home, his love for his native country has never diminished. He has authored several articles and two acclaimed books on Afghanistan: "The Lone Leopard", a novel set in Afghanistan, and "America in Afghanistan", published by Bloomsbury Publishing House.