He was one of the most distinct character actors of his generation, whose popularity and acclaim crossed geographical boundaries at an early stage of his career.

In death, the internationally renowned artist Saeed Jaffrey, 86, who left us on Nov 16 (I say artist, because there was a fair degree of artistry to his work) was not just another actor. He was a learned man who was well-versed in world literature and could speak quite a few languages. He was married twice, once to the famous culinary expert Madhur Jaffrey and then to Jennifer.

Jaffrey appeared in many Indian, Hollywood and British films, including Gandhi, The Man who would be King, Passage to India and Satyajit Ray’s iconic Shatranj ke Khiladi. Those who are fond of commercial Hindi cinema will always remember him for his spontaneous performances, such as Madhuri Dixit’s rich garrulous father in the Aamir Khan starrer Dil.

Apart from that, he acted in some critically acclaimed television dramas series, two of which were The Jewel in the Crown and Coronation Street. Jaffrey was also the recipient of an OBE (Order of the British Empire).

Published in Dawn, Sunday Magazine, November 22nd, 2015