Saeed Jaffrey (born 8 January 1929) is an Indian actor, who has done numerous British movies.
He
was born in Malerkotla, Punjab. His film credits include "The Man Who
Would Be King" (1975), "Shatranj Ke Khiladi" (1977), "Gandhi" (1982),
"A Passage to India" (1965 BBC version and 1984 film) and "My Beautiful
Laundrette" (1985).
He has also appeared in many Bollywood
films in the 1980s and 1990s. For television he has starred in
"Gangsters" (1975-1978), "The Jewel in the Crown" (1984),"Tandoori
Nights" (1985-1987) and "Little Napoleons" (1994).
Saeed Jaffrcy
is one of Britain's best known and most experienced
actors, playing a wide variety of roles in comedy and drama with equal
enthusiasm.He went to St. George's College, Mussoorie and started his
career by setting up his theatre company called Unity Theatre, at New
Delhi.
His
early theatrical work included roles in productions of Tennessee
Williams, Christopher Fry, Wilde, and Shakespeare. He did his studies
at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London and went to the United
States on a Fulbright scholarship, where he took a second post-graduate
degree in drama from "The Catholic University of America".
From these firm foundations Jaffree set out as the first Indian actor to
tour Shakespeare, taking his company across the United States and
subsequendy joining the Actor's Studio in New York, where he played the
lead in off-Broadway productions of Lorca's Blood Wedding, Rashomon,
and Twelfth Night. Jaifrey is an accomplished stage actor and has
appeared on Broadway and at London's West End in a diverse range of
characterisations.
His work in television has been just as varied. He appeared as Jimmy
Sharma in Channel 4's first "Asian" comedy, Tana'oori Nights and as the
elegiac Nawah in Gra-nada Television's adaptation of The Jewel in the
Crown. It was arguably his performance as the smooth Rafiq in the BBC
cult-classic Gangsters that brought him to national recognition, even
though he had been acting in both theatre and television for several
years previously.
In some ways, Jaifrey's character types have been broadly similar and,
like Clint Eastwood, he always plays himself playing a character. His
impeccable English accent, his dapper style and his catch-phrases-"My
dear boy"-are part of his acting persona. His smooth charm is used to
good effect whether he plays the archetypal oily, corrupt Asian
businessman or the kindly, knowing father figure.
In 1994 he co-starred with Norman Beaton in Michael Abbensett's new TV
series, Little Napokons, for Channel 4, playing once again a successful
lawyer-cashmere coats, flashy car, doting daughter-who wants political
as well as economic power.
He
has also served as the Radio Director(1951-1956) for All India Radio
and Director of Publicity and Advertising at Government of India
Tourist Office, U.S (1958-1960).
Jaffrey's career has spanned
several decades and is one of a handful of Indian actors who is
regularly in employment, be it for radio, television, or the stage.