Letter from Ruth Prawer Jhabvala, Delhi, India, to James Ivory, New York, New York, 1967 May 19: autograph manuscript signed.

Saying his letter, received today, with the news of Paramount's negative reponse to "Vertical and Horizontal," "made me very sad"; giving her opinion on Paramount and the attitude Ivory and Merchant and Ross should take with them; replying to Ivory's question about Shashi playing the Ustad [in "The Guru"], which she hadn't answered previously because "I couldn't possibly imagine that you were serious"; listing the reasons she feels Shashi is unsuited to the role, and doubting whether Dilip Kumar is up to it either; disagreeing with Madhur's description of Shashi as "second-rate," but asserting that he is limited in his range; stating that she doesn't like the idea of "humouring" Merchant over projects he may or may not want to make-- "the whole situation seems so ridiculous, and slightly degrading too"; telling him "Madhur left yesterday [for New York via London]" and is "planning to send for her children after a month"; describing the scene before Madhur left, with her daughter Zia, "how she clung to her, how strained & afraid & bewildered her little face was. Anything they might have to endure in New York is better than such a separation, such heart-ache"; asking Ivory to help them when they arrive; voicing her doubts about David Warner for the "Shakespeare Wallah" sequel-- "I like David Warner as Morgan [in "Morgan: A Suitable Case for Treatment"], but I can't see him as Laurence"; saying Jhab is doing better, having been diagnosed with labyrithitis and given medication; forwarding love from Jhab, and asking if there's anything they can do for Ivory and Merchant in India-- "I wish there were."