Saeed Jaffery and Sanjeev Kumar in a still from Shatranj Ke Khiladi
Actor Saeed Jaffrey has died at the age of 86. His niece Shaheen wrote on
Facebook: "Today, a generation of Jaffreys has passed away. Saeed Jaffrey has joined his brothers and sister and is rejoicing in the lap of his Heavenly Father, eternally." (Also Read:
Saeed Jaffrey, Film Star and Shakespearewallah. A Passage From India)
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Mr Jaffrey’s
Masoom director Shekhar Kapur and actor Rishi Kapoor, his co-star from films like
Ajooba and
Saagar, tweeted:
Mr Jaffrey starred in acclaimed films like Satyajit Ray's
Shatranj ke Khiladi, for which he won the Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actor and Sai Paranjpye's
Chashme Baddoor. He was very well-known abroad, having appeared in several international movies including
Gandhi and
A Passage To India as well as on the TV shows
Tandoori Nights, The Far Pavilions and
The Jewel In The Crown. His co-stars include Sean Connery, Michael Caine and Pierce Brosnan.
Mr Jaffrey also had roles in several mainstream Hindi movies like
Ram Lakhan, Khoon Bhari Maang and
Naseeb.
Saeed Jaffrey was born in Malerkotla, Punjab and studied at Aligarh Muslim University, the Wynberg Allen School and Allahabad University. He started his career on stage, setting up a theatre company of his own in New Delhi. He later went to the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art or RADA in London.
Saeed Jaffrey was the first Indian to receive the Order of the British Empire or OBE.
He was married to actress-author Madhur Jaffrey, with whom he had three children. His daughter Sakina is a well-known actress. He and Madhur Jaffrey divorced in 1965 and he later married casting director Jennifer Sorrell in 1980, remaining married to her until his death.