Films Flavored With Curry.(Ismail Merchant, Indian filmmaker)(Brief Article)(Interview)

Since making their first low-budget film 40 years ago, Indian producer Ismail Merchant, American director James Ivory and German scriptwriter Ruth Prawer Jhabvala have become known for their renditions of literary classics and their clearly defined roles. But lately, the flamboyant Merchant has taken to directing films based on works that speak to him personally, including Nobel laureate V. S. Naipaul's first novel, "The Mystic Masseur." Earlier this year Merchant won the Padma Bhushan, one of India's highest national awards. An exuberant cook (and cookbook writer), the filmmaker shared his passions with NEWSWEEK's Vibhuti Patel over curry. Excerpts:

PATEL: Why did you want to make a film of "The Mystic Masseur"?

MERCHANT: All its characters are wonderful. It is Naipaul's most accessible novel, a human book set in Trinidad, with a protagonist who takes you on a journey. I wanted to be part of that journey.

It's the only Naipaul novel made into a film. Was it difficult to get permission?

I wrote to his agents but there was no response, so I wrote to Naipaul directly. He replied, "Dear Ismail, please do not come to see me, I know your persuasive powers are legendary. I'd like you to negotiate the deal with my agent."

Naipaul's reputed to be a tough negotiator.

His agent is--we paid a substantial amount of money to guarantee that the film would be made.