A BRADFORD actor, author and illustrator was in London last week where he received an award from one of the world's biggest publishers.

Muj Shah, 34, was "highly commended" by Faber & Faber for his illustrations in his comic book 'Maghrib', where the protagonist is a Muslim superhero.

Muj attended their FAB Prize ceremony on September 24 and it was his and Maghrib's second success there - he was also "highly commended" for his writing at the 2017 ceremony.

"In the UK, the first thing some people notice about you is the fact you're Asian or 'different'. It's like you have to prove that you're well-spoken and intelligent first, for people to see you as British" - Muj Shah

Faber & Faber have previously published pieces by past and present literary greats such as T.S. Eliot, Ted Hughes and Sylvia Plath, amongst others.

Muj - of Pakistani descent - was born in Bradford but grew up in Derby, before moving back to Clayton in 2015.

At age 19, he was accepted into the National Youth Theatre before beginning his acting career in the BBC's 'Hustle' in 2004.

He has since starred in Bonded By Blood (2010), Casualty (2012), Outside Bet (2012), Citizen Khan (2015), BBC Three's Coconut (2017) and Songbird (2018).

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He also briefly relocated to Toronto, Canada to further his pursuits: "In Canada, people saw me as British before they saw me as Asian. I had to leave Britain, where I was born and bred, to be perceived as British for the first time."

"In the UK, the first thing some people notice about you is the fact you're Asian or 'different'. It's like you have to prove that you're well-spoken and intelligent first, for people to see you as British."

"As BAME actors, we sometimes have to work twice as hard to get half as far, but occupying a space that some think you’re not meant to be in is a form of protest."

Back in the UK, Muj began writing Maghrib in 2014. The protagonist is Asim Ahkbar - a young Muslim who, after being attacked and left for dead, is resurrected as the superhero Maghrib by a secret organisation known as Jin.

Muj wants to begin a "counter-narrative" against racial stereotypes and typecasting: "I initially created this comic for my nephew and nieces. I was tired of auditioning for terrorists and angry Arabs, and with a lack of positive Muslim characters in the media, I decided to create a superhero who just so happens to be Muslim."

"If you perceive Muslims as the bad guys, you're going to isolate them, which links to the core principles of labelling theory."

"When you are constantly labelled and stereotyped, it creates a self-fulfilling prophecy and you end up seeking belonging, thus becoming susceptible to things like joining gangs or extremism."

Muj hopes for communication: "If someone doesn't know any Muslim people, their perception of Muslims, inevitably, will largely come from the media which doesn't always portray us in a positive light."

"Bradford is a diverse, yet segregated city. The dialogue between Asian and white communities needs to begin, for us to understand each other better."

"We all value the same things and want to feed our families. When we realise how much we have in common, we'll be much stronger."

"Some people use immigrants as scapegoats. When really, people like my parents who came to this country from Pakistan are just trying to create a better future for their children."

"When we let ourselves become divided, it makes it easier for politicians to ignore us, as we quarrel between ourselves. When we are united, our voice is stronger."

Muj can be found on Twitter, with the handle @Muj_Shah