It is a given fact that many times the conscious projection of several notable personalities is diametrically opposed to their real-life events. Through hefty PR strategies, several Bollywood personalities create an unfounded positive image of themselves. In the garb of this positive iconography, they indulge in controversial acts, to say the least. There can’t be a better example to substantiate this other than the life of Bollywood character actor Saeed Jaffrey.
Rich cinematic work
Saeed Jaffrey was born in 1929 into an affluent family at Malerkotla in undivided Punjab, India. His forefathers held the post of Diwan in Malerkotla province. He got his primary education from Wynberg-Allen School in Mussoorie, which is hailed as one of the most prosperous schools in India.
In the mid-1940s, he attained bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of Allahabad. Meanwhile, barring him, virtually all his relatives went to Pakistan in the aftermath of partition. In the year 1951, Saeed shifted to New Delhi to work in the fields of radio and theatre. He began his career in drama with his own English theatre company, the Unity Theatre. Between 1951 and 1956, he also served with All India Radio as radio director.
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Initially, he acted in productions of Tennessee Williams, Fry, Priesty, Wilde, and Shakespeare. In 1956, to sharpen his dramatic skills, Saeed went to the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London, a premier school of drama. Later, he received a Fulbright scholarship and went to the US to complete his second post-graduate degree in drama from the Catholic University of America.
Along with his company, Saeed toured across the US doing Shakespearean plays in 1957, thus becoming the first Indian actor to do so. Going ahead, he became an active member of the Actors’ Studio in New York, where he gained wide admiration for his acting performances.
In a six-decade-long cinematic career, he appeared in over 150 British, American, and Indian films. A few of his notable appearances include the roles in Heena, Dil, Ram Lakhan, Judai, and Jab Pyaar Kisi Se Hota Hai. He effortlessly pulled both comedic and serious roles with equal ease.
His versatile acting skills not only made him a popular character actor during those times but also earned him international recognition. Evidently, he was the first Indian to receive nominations for the British and Canadian Awards.
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Life on personal front
He met Madhur Bans Bahadur, who belonged to a prosperous Vaishya family. Just like Saeed, Madhur was also inclined toward radio and drama. She had an additional tilt towards the culinary arts. Over time, they both developed affection for each other, and in 1958 they tied the marital knot. Madhur Bans Bahadur became Mahrunissa, and the couple turned to England and America. The couple were blessed with three daughters: Meera, Riya, and Shakina.
But as time progressed, he started developing a superiority complex and thus kept regularly disrespecting his wife. He considered Madhur a hurdle in his endeavour to work in English- films. In 1966, he ended his marriage, making derogatory remarks about Madhur and stating that she was “not of his standard.”
Following their divorce, Saeed continued to send money to Madhur for the upbringing of their three children, but he received no responses from her.
Later, Saeed Jaffrey developed a relationship with his co-star, Jennifer Sorel. After a decade-long relationship, they got married in 1980. But within months of their marriage, Saeed started getting disillusioned with Jennifer.
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Parallelly, Madhur moved on to focus on her career. She sent her three children to his mother and sister in India and used her talent to move forward in life. During her marital life, Madhur used to cook Indian cuisine as Saeed didn’t like American food. Their friend circle slowly made Madhur confident in her cooking abilities. Gradually, Madhur Jafri became a well-known celebrity in the field of cuisine.
Meanwhile, Saeed Jaffrey earned considerable success in British and Bollywood cinema. He received several Filmfare Award nominations and the Best Supporting Actor Award for “Shatranj ke khiladi.”
But Saeed got envious of the growing popularity of his ex-wife. He desperately wanted to talk to her, but Madhur ignored all his requests. She was always telling him how happy she was in her life. Saeed also got disappointed when his children said the same.
Saeed penned his sorrows in a diary that he, later, made public. In that, he wrote, “To this day, I can’t forget what my kids told me. They said that their new father knew the true meaning of love. He accepted Mehrunisa (Madhur) as she was. He never tried to replace Madhur, as he loved him more than himself. The biggest lesson in life is that you don’t change the person you love; you love them the way they are. I never loved her; always loved myself, and those who love themselves never love others.”
Through the life of Saeed Jaffrey, it is evident that it is not necessary that a person appearing to be saintly in reel life will be the same in real life. This is why we have to revive the real meaning of our heroes, and rather than imbibing their traits, we should look after real-life heroes.
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