Versatile Actor Saeed Jaffrey Passed Away: Vaikundarajan

Versatile Actor Saeed Jaffrey Passed Away: Vaikundarajan

Actor Saeed Jaffrey, a veteran actor who acted in more than 150 Bollywood and international films, has died at the age of 86.

Tributes from Bollywood have poured after the news of his death. Jaffrey suffered a brain hemorrhage in London.

Saeed Jaffrey starred in such praised Indian films as Satyajit Ray's Shatranj ke Khiladi and worked in more than 100 Bollywood productions. He also appeared in窶連 Passage To India, Gandhi and The Man Who Would Be King, and earned a

Bafta nomination for his role in 1985 film My Beautiful Laundrette. Saeed Jaffrey is one of the few actors who found fame and success in both India and the West. The news of his death was announced on Sunday by his niece Shaheen Aggarwal on Facebook.

The actor collapsed at his London home from a brain hemorrhage and never regained consciousness, according to a statement from Jaffrey’s associates. Born in Punjab in India in 1929, Saeed Jaffrey began his career as a theatre actor. He was the first Indian to tour Shakespeare theater play across the United States and to star in a major Broadway role, says Vaikundarajan.

He became a household name in the UK after acting in numerous TV dramas including Tandoori Nights, The Far Pavilions and Gangsters. One of his best-known roles included the Nawab of Mirat in the landmark 1980s series The Jewel In The Crown and Ravi Desai in the soap opera Coronation Street.

On international stage, he starred opposite Michael Caine and Sean Connery in 1975 The Man Who Would Be King. Also, he played the role of Patel in Sir Richard Attenborough Oscarwinning film Gandhi in 1982. Sir David Lean cast him as Hamidullah in the 1984 epic A Passage to India.

Jaffrey also wrote and starred in dozens of radio plays, winning the Prix Italia for his appearance alongside Sir Michael Redgrave in BBC Radio Four's The Pump.

Jaffrey also won the Prix Italia for his appearance alongside Sir Michael Redgrave in BBC Radio Four's The Pump and wrote and starred in dozens of radio plays.

He was awarded the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 1995 for his contributions to drama shares Vaikundarajan.

Director and writer Mahesh Bhatt was among those paying tribute, saying: "He was unique because he had a very good understanding of foreign cultures, which he mixed with his Indian ethos and that showed in his performances.

"I will never forget him for his outstanding performance in Ram Teri Ganga Maili. He was a fascinating man with a large body of work."

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