Ismail Merchant

Why Is He Famous?
Born in India, Ismail Merchant is a director and producer of international repute. The Duo of Ismail Merchant and James Ivory have made several internationally acclaimed movies. The Merchant Ivory Productions has continued as one of the most productive collaborations in cinema. It has producedfilms such as The Europeans, Quartet, Heat and Dust, A Room with a View, Mr. and Mrs. Bridge, Howard's End, The Remains of the Day Jefferson in Paris and Surviving Picasso. Besides, Merchant has also directed two films for TV, "Mahatma and the Mad Boy" and "The Courtesans of Bombay" for Britain's Channel Four.

In his long carrier of more than 30 years, Merchant has made over 40 feature films. He has worked with the likes of Vanessa Redgrave, Isabelle Adjani, Christopher Reeve, Anthony Hopkins, Paul Newman,Emma Thompson and Paul Newman. Ismail Merchant is not only a filmmaker of international repute but also a renowned chef. He has authored a number of books on cookery. Some of them are Ismail Merchant's Indian Cuisine; Ismail Merchant's Florence; Ismail Merchant's Passionate meals, Ismail Merchant's Paris, Filming and Feasting in France. Besides, he has also authored several books onfilmmaking.

Background
Ismail Merchant was born in Mumbai on 25th December, 1935. His original name was Ismail Noormohamed Abdul Reh. He graduated from St. Xavier's College, Bombay and then moved to the west. Merchant earned his Master's degree in Business Administration from the New York University. The Merchant Ivory team finds its name in the Guinness Book of WorldRecords for the longest partnership in independent cinema. Ismail Merchant is also an Honorary Doctor of Arts at Bard's College, New York. Merchant was also honored by the Mayor of New York and received the Marie des Paris for his outstanding contribution to cinema in France. Merchant Ivory's most recent autobiographical book is entitled, My Passage from India: A Filmmaker's Journey from Bombay to Hollywood and beyond. In 2002 Merchant was conferred the Padma Bhusan by the government of India.