Letter from Ruth Prawer Jhabvala, Delhi, India, to James Ivory, New York, New York, 1964 April 14 : autograph manuscript signed.

Admitting that "every time we correspond about the actors film ["Shakespeare Wallah"], I feel rather depressed"; feeling she feels she is continually contradicting Ivory and now realizes why; explaining that she has watched many excellent films recently through the Delhi Film Society, and the one thing they all had in common was a clear central theme-- more so than in novels, because a film "has so many distractions," "interesting locations," arresting visuals and the like, "that the director has to cling, for all he's worth, to this central theme"; pointing out that there is a tension between how they each see the central theme of "Shalespeare Wallah," and that it stems from Ivory's not understanding how the majority of Indians view films and film stars-- "Don't you realize that the film star is as much despised as he's admired? Didn't you notice the ambivalent attitude all those screaming crowds at your shooting used to take up towards Shashi? He was their property, their public property, the way a prostitute is public property"; also pointing out that Jhab and Merchant agree with her on this point; asking "Are we making a film not only about mirasis [not quite respectable persons like actors], but also from their point of view? A slanted film? A 'special interest' film? About show biz in India? Don't let's get confused"; surmising that Ivory is "so excited about this film that you want to stuff everything that interests you into it"; reassuring Ivory that "I will gladly one day make a film with you about the Bombay film world," but not now; asking Ivory to think about what she's said, and apologizing for writing "a very negative letter"; saying "I hope you'll be back soon + we'll talk about it"; referencing a recent telegram from "Roy" [or Ray?] that seems to have had a positive effect on the issues surrounding the Indian release of "The Householder" between Columbia picture, the MPEAA, and the Indian government; signing off "you must, must be with us at Juhu in May."