Letter from Ruth Prawer Jhabvala, Delhi, India, to James Ivory and Ismail Merchant, New York, New York, 1967 April 16: autograph manuscript signed.

Quoting all that she managed to read of a review of "Shakespeare Wallah" given to her by Madhur: "'Even we in India cannot like this film...'"; offering more news of the film "trickling through from Bombay"-- that the Liberty Theatre is packed, tickets hard to obtain, "also that quite a few people actually liked the film"; asking if they have heard anything, and telling them to "write to Prabhu not to release SW in Delhi till the renovations in Plaza are complete"; commenting on the synopsis for "The Guru" she sent to Ivory the day before; describing in detail the upheaval at Jhab's college regarding a group of students who are lacking the required credentials to sit for exams, and the hysterical protests of students and their parents, which included approaching the Vice-President of India Zakir Husain, and sending a threatening letter to the Jhabvala's home; describing a visit from "our old friend Minnie Boga," and a discussion about the furniture Boga is designing; claiming that Dr. Fabri has sold his old shoes to a neighbor's servant for Rs. 2, a sign of his "plain meanness," and describing Fabri's behavior at soirees at the High Comissioner's house, asking Catherine awkward questions; offering a selection of gossipy tidbits: 200 police arrested during the police strike-- "Did you know that Sahni of Odeon & Rivoli has died?"-- "My sofa has been recovered & looks superb"; concluding, "That's enough gossip for you for today."