Malik was born Athar ul-Haque Malik in Bahawalpur, Pakistan, the son of Zaibunisa and Mazhar ul-Haque Malik, a physician who would soon qualify as an ophthalmic surgeon in Britain [REF].
Malik is mildly dyslexic and found academic studies trying; after an unsatisfactory stint of business studies and a term studying acting at the Questors Theatre, he won a scholarship to Guildhall School of Music and Drama [REF].