Opening up about his long and enduring partnership with Ismail Merchant, Oscar winning screenwriter James Ivory says they kept their relationship a secret because his Mumbai-born partner belonged to a "deeply conservative" Muslim family.
The two men behind Merchant Ivory Productions formed a partnership that lasted for close to 50 years and produced classics such as "Shakespeare Wallah", "Heat and Dust", "A Room with a View", "Maurice", "Howards End" and "The Remains of the Day".
Merchant died in 2005 at the age of 68.
Over the years, there have been rumours about their personal relationship but both zealously guarded their privacy.
"Well, you just wouldn't. That is not something that an Indian Muslim would ever say publicly or in print. Ever! You have to remember that Ismail was an Indian citizen living in Bombay, with a deeply conservative Muslim family there," Ivory said in an interview with The Guardian this week.
"It's not the sort of thing he was going to broadcast. Since we were so close and lived most of our lives together, I wasn't about to undermine him."
Disclaimer: No Business Standard Journalist was involved in creation of this content
You’ve reached your limit of {{free_limit}} free articles this month.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
Already subscribed? Log in
Subscribe to read the full story →
Smart Quarterly
₹900
3 Months
₹300/Month
Smart Essential
₹2,700
1 Year
₹225/Month
Super Saver
₹3,900
2 Years
₹162/Month
Renews automatically, cancel anytime
Here’s what’s included in our digital subscription plans
Exclusive premium stories online
Over 30 premium stories daily, handpicked by our editors


Complimentary Access to The New York Times
News, Games, Cooking, Audio, Wirecutter & The Athletic
Business Standard Epaper
Digital replica of our daily newspaper — with options to read, save, and share


Curated Newsletters
Insights on markets, finance, politics, tech, and more delivered to your inbox
Market Analysis & Investment Insights
In-depth market analysis & insights with access to The Smart Investor


Archives
Repository of articles and publications dating back to 1997
Ad-free Reading
Uninterrupted reading experience with no advertisements


Seamless Access Across All Devices
Access Business Standard across devices — mobile, tablet, or PC, via web or app
