BIB_ID
448330
Accession number
MA 23840.66
Creator
Merchant, Ismail, sender.
Display Date
Mumbai, India, 1963 December 2
Credit line
Gift of James Ivory, 2021.
Description
1 item (4 pages) ; 28 x 21.5 + envelope
Notes
Date and production place from postmark.
Envelope addressed to Mr. James Ivory, 143 E. 62nd Street, New York 21, N.Y. U.S.A., postmarked December 2, 1963; note on verso reads "Contract says C.P.C.I. loaning Columbia India money, but this is not possible, since it is Columbia India who has blocked funds-- but objected to this-- says it is an advance, not a loan, & Columbia India should (make?) it under the MPEAA agreement."
Written on Ismail Merchant's personal stationary.
Envelope addressed to Mr. James Ivory, 143 E. 62nd Street, New York 21, N.Y. U.S.A., postmarked December 2, 1963; note on verso reads "Contract says C.P.C.I. loaning Columbia India money, but this is not possible, since it is Columbia India who has blocked funds-- but objected to this-- says it is an advance, not a loan, & Columbia India should (make?) it under the MPEAA agreement."
Written on Ismail Merchant's personal stationary.
Provenance
James Ivory.
Summary
Writing from "the waiting room at Ahmedabad," on his way back to Bombay with his mother and sister; saying he also visited Ajmer, which brought back memories and "offered prayers for our success"; laying out the present issues with the Indian government, Columbia Pictures, Merchant Ivory Productions (MIP) and "The Householder" in great detail; commenting that "Jhab's friend, one Mr. D'Costa, knows the working of the mind [sic] of these idiots"; moving on to write "about future projects"; saying Ruth is in favor of the "Kendall's [sic] diary" project; inquiring whether Ivory would like to direct a film of a Punjabi story starring Shashi's Kapoor's sister-in-law Geeta Bali (married to Shammi Kapoor); discussing his intentions concerning exhibitors in Bombay; complaining "I have received only one letter in 20 days and I feel miserable without you-- please write write and write ... Do come soon and take good care of yourself."
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