His popular Hindi films are Satyajit Ray's "Shatranj Ke Khiladi" opposite Sanjeev Kumar, "Chashme Buddoor", "Masoom", "Kissi Se Na Kehna", "Mandi", "Mashaal" "Ram Teri Ganga Maili", "Ram Lakhan", "Ajooba" and "Henna".
Jaffrey's international career saw him working with Sean Connery, Michael Caine, James Ivory, Richard Attenborough, John Huston, Stephen Frears, David Lean and Daniel Day-Lewis.
His noted international projects are "Gandhi" (where he played the role of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel), "The Man Who Would Be King", "Death on the Nile", "Sphinx", "The Jewel in the Crown", "A Passage to India", "My Beautiful Laundrette", "The Deceivers", "After Midnight", "On Wings of Fire" and "Chicken Tikka Masala".
Jaffrey received a BAFTA nomination for "My Beautiful Laundrette".
He was a regular on the British small screen as well by acting in "Gangsters", "Tandoori Nights", "The Jewel in the Crown", "Common as Muck", and "Coronation Street".
The actor is also the first Indian to receive the Order of the British Empire (OBE) for his contributions to drama.