Letter from Ruth Prawer Jhabvala, Delhi, India, to Ismail Merchant, New York, New York, 1967 May 30: autograph manuscript signed.

Telling him how glad she was to hear from him; reassuring him that "I don't mind even if you send me half-finished letters"; breaking the disappointing news that "Jhab's trip has been put off again, so neither of us will be coming [to New York]"; hoping that Merchant will be able to resolve the issues with "Vertical and Horizontal" and be able to begin shooting soon, "And as soon as you've finished, you must bring Jim to India"; saying she has sent a birthday gift for Ivory to New York with Som Benegal, who is coming to attend a theater conference-- "theatre conference indeed! what the hell is theatre to him or he to theatre?"-- and insisting that Merchant coordinate with Benegal to deliver the gift "strictly" on Ivory's birthday, and "show him some slight hospitality, like for instance taking him out for tea..."; entreating Merchant to "look after" Ivory; admitting that if Merchant cannot find any enthusiasm for the Ustad film ["The Guru"], she cannot either-- "If I don't have both you and Jim solidly behind me, then I don't feel I have the strength to do it"; saying, however, that "the present anxiety for you should be ... to get V&H started & finished"; asking about Lillian and Erik and the nursemaid situation; giving news of Jhab-- "madly busy as ever, but his health is better now"; describing how Jhab and the girls "go swimming every evening at Maidens Hotel and I sit at the side and watch them"; saying their planned holiday was cancelled due to Jhab's work on the Super Bazaar; doubting that an Urdu translation of "Twilight in Delhi" exists; asking how Madhur is doing.