Letter from Ismail Merchant, Mumbai, India, to James Ivory, New York, New York, 1971 December 8 : autograph manuscript signed.

Telling Ivory that his "trip to Rajasthan has ended" with a final few days in Bikaner, where they had "[b]lackout[s] from 5:30 pm to the next morning," but claiming "we got some good footage"; noting they stayed at the Lalgarh Palace [where they had stayed during the shooting of "The Guru"] and that "the little man 'Ranzen' who use [sic] to bring hot water for us" was still there and remembered Ivory; saying he found Ivory's letters and a cable waiting for him in Bombay and asking him not to worry; telling him he will be leaving Bombay on Sunday, spending two days in London, and "on the 15th December I will be with you"; saying "I have missed you very much and have felt lonely without you"; expressing gladness that the contract with Joe has been signed; discussing other paperwork and contracts; assuring Ivory that "Soon I will be with you to help you"; pointing out that he will not be back in time for Erik's birthday on December 14th; asking Ivory to get Erik a gift, and in turn promising that "I will buy the stone head for you."