Sofia Hayat is beautiful, talented and successful. She has acted in two feature films and appeared in numerous television shows, commercials and modelling campaigns. She leads a glamorous life which enables her to mingle freely with celebrities and she is often snapped by the paparazzi while out on the party circuit or dining in some of London's finest restaurants. Yet it is what lies behind Sofia's glittering career that makes her life story so compelling and inspirational. Sofia's childhood was worlds away from her current, free-spirited life. Growing up at the heart of a Muslim family, above her parents' corner shop in Kent, she was forced to comply by the strictest of rules - her father forbade her from having friends and, if she was caught talking to boys, she would suffer severe, often violent, consequences at his hands. But the lowest point of her childhood came when she learned she was to be forced into an arranged marriage - the thought of being trapped in an empty, loveless union tipped Sofia into attempting to take her own life and instigated a spate of self-harming. Her chance to break free finally came when she won herself a place at university, where she experienced for the first time the freedoms that most young women in Britain take for granted. Her new life revolved around partying and meeting men, something that had been forbidden by her parents. Her experimentation with sex, however, resulted in death threats from her own family and, in a shocking twist, her own parents kidnapped her and an honour killing loomed as her family believed that her behaviour was tarnishing their image. In spite of the efforts of her family to thwart her bid for freedom, thanks to her strength of mind and conviction, Sofia continued to follow her dream of becoming an actress, eventually moving to London to embark on her career. She now enjoys the success she has struggled for so long to be able to achieve and mixes with celebrities such as Colin Farrell, Leonardo Di Caprio and Will Smith.
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About the Author
Sofia Hayat was born in 1974 and spent her childhood in Gravesend in Kent. She won her first TV presenting role in 2000, when she fronted Zee TV's flagship entertainment show Sorted. Sofia's on-screen talent carried her into the acting world when, in 2004, she won her first role as a roving reporter in the BBC series Absolute Power starring Stephen Fry. That year also saw Sofia become a finalist on the hit Channel 4 reality TV show Bollywood Star. Sofia's singing carer began to flourish during this period and she performed solo at The Royal Albert Hall for the victims and survivors of the Pakistani Earthquake. A number of top TV commercials (Timotei, Lloyds Bank) followed in 2006. Sofia won her first feature film role as the part of Beauty alongside Malcolm McDowell and Stephen Billington in Exitz in 2005, followed by Cash and Curry, starring Ameet Chana from Bend it Like Beckham. Cash and Curry recently won Best Feature Film at this year's Portobello Film Festival, Europe's largest independent film festival. Sofia's recent screen success was the lead role as Padma in The Unforgettable, Sofia is also currently working on her own film script in tandem with several top film producers, I Don't Want to Marry Shah Ruck Khan is a comedy if errors based on the challenges faced by women in the Muslin world.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
8 of 9 people found the following review helpful
By Big Ham
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
The first half of the book is courageous, inciteful, harrowing, heartfelt and engaging. It truly is worth the effort to read portion this to see the turmoil and challenges Sofia faced. Something no doubt a number of women can associate with.
The second half of the book is smoke-filled, self-indulgent, it-girl, boastful rubbish. It reads very much like the diary of someone DESPERATE to impress the reader by name dropping as many celbrities as possible. She also regularly boasts about how attractive she believes she is and how manhy men want her (celebs included) - this after coming 4th in "Bollywood Star" (Google it).
Sofia Hayat is not a househld name and after reading this, its not hard to see why. She also tries to emphasise her association and devotion with Islam. But please dont be fooled - nothing about how she chooses to live her life is Islamic. Therefore please read this with the eyes of "A girl and her struggle with her family".
The second half of the book is smoke-filled, self-indulgent, it-girl, boastful rubbish. It reads very much like the diary of someone DESPERATE to impress the reader by name dropping as many celbrities as possible. She also regularly boasts about how attractive she believes she is and how manhy men want her (celebs included) - this after coming 4th in "Bollywood Star" (Google it).
Sofia Hayat is not a househld name and after reading this, its not hard to see why. She also tries to emphasise her association and devotion with Islam. But please dont be fooled - nothing about how she chooses to live her life is Islamic. Therefore please read this with the eyes of "A girl and her struggle with her family".
4 of 5 people found the following review helpful
By xxxx
Format:Paperback
This book was all about her fame and how she got there. There are some good bits and some which made me chuckle. BUT overall a very poor book with no sense of dishonour really. Dont recomend to anyone not even my doggy.
9 of 12 people found the following review helpful
By M. Speight
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
This is more about the authors sucess rather than the title of the book she spends more time talking about her lifestyle and the fact she appears to imagine she is the only person in the world to go to university a very boring boastful book would not recommend it.
3 of 4 people found the following review helpful
By sho sho
Format:Paperback
I agree with the first review.The first half was interesting but the second half was filled with nothing but name dropping and full of her own self- importance.she ruined what she had achieved by talking in the manner she did and so took away from her story in the first half.
Format:Paperback
Sofia is a strong and courageous woman and has a good story of encouragement to tell but I was a bit disappointed with the second half though
2 of 5 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
An amazing journey written by one of the most inspirational women out there.
16 Feb 2010
By Juhi
Format:Paperback
Speechless, breath taking yet so intense, it is one of the best surreal autobiographies written so far. Reading this left me lost for words; it shows a struggling journey of a young girl blossoming into an amazing talented successful lady. It shows just how perfect her life is now, just by following her heart and achieving her lifelong dreams to become an actress and singer even at the cost of losing her family and facing rejection. It now shows as Sofia who has her own life under her feet and has total control over it. What so inspiring and refreshing about this auto is that, she has strongly come out in the open about such issues which many young women may face even today but are too scared to face or even talk about it. It is almost a journey which shows everyday issues such as self-esteem, bullying, relationships, culture, religion and family values that many young women can relate to such as myself.
On a more personal perspective, I thoroughly enjoyed reading it; this auto has influenced me in many ways, most importantly is that it has helped one stand up and overcome such every day issues. It has great teachings and even better morals, not only is she beautiful on the outside but on the inside too, what's even better is that the auto proves it! It is an autobiography to be strongly recommended to everyone but specifically to younger women who can relate to her struggle. Sofia has shown that she is truly a `star' and I'm positive that many people will enjoy reading it.
On a more personal perspective, I thoroughly enjoyed reading it; this auto has influenced me in many ways, most importantly is that it has helped one stand up and overcome such every day issues. It has great teachings and even better morals, not only is she beautiful on the outside but on the inside too, what's even better is that the auto proves it! It is an autobiography to be strongly recommended to everyone but specifically to younger women who can relate to her struggle. Sofia has shown that she is truly a `star' and I'm positive that many people will enjoy reading it.
1 of 5 people found the following review helpful
By R. Choudhury
Format:Paperback
This book took me 3days to read on top of my busy lifestyle but whenever I got the chance I read it and I couldn't put the book down. It's not just any book like some sort of fairytale... While I reading this book I went through soo many emotions, I went from tears to angry to happiness to laughter it felt like I was following Sofia's feelings throughout the whole book.
I think it inspires a lot of people and it inspired me a lot, it taught me to follow my dreams and hopes, it taught me no one put me down unless I let them & it taught me with a little bit of hard work anything is possible.
After reading this book it made me more confident about myself and it's helped me understand other people better.
I love how Sofia turned her life around and how she is someone now, She's a role model for loads of women and especially Asian women as I know they go through a lot like domestic violence and so much more...
I think it inspires a lot of people and it inspired me a lot, it taught me to follow my dreams and hopes, it taught me no one put me down unless I let them & it taught me with a little bit of hard work anything is possible.
After reading this book it made me more confident about myself and it's helped me understand other people better.
I love how Sofia turned her life around and how she is someone now, She's a role model for loads of women and especially Asian women as I know they go through a lot like domestic violence and so much more...
0 of 3 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
I loved this book as it shows how someone with all the offical reasons not to be out in the performance world, has gone out following her heart and passion. I have bought it for all my coaching clients and I'd love to meet Sofia- what an inspiration you are!!!
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