He is best known for producing Don (1978) made under his banner Nariman Films and for his work as cinematographer in Chhailla Babu (1977).

[1][2] As a cinematographer he is known for films including Talash, Saraswatichandra and Phool Aur Patthar, Roti Kapada Aur Makaan[2] and Chhailla Babu.

[6] Irani, while working on Chhailla Babu as a cinematographer, decided to borrow most of the plot of Chhailla Babu and shared a modified story idea to Chandra Barot, who made the new modified story as the 1978 film Don.

While Don was still under production he suffered a serious hip bone injury when, after a sudden cloudburst in November 1977, a wall fell on him while he was preparing to take a shot for another film at Rajkamal Kalamandir studios, Bombay during the making of Manoj Kumar's Kranti.

His home banner Nariman Films was revived 18 years later by his sons, Nadir and Nadeem, with Suniel Shetty-starrer Shashtra (1996).