Let's make this birthday one to remember.

88 years old (Born on December 25, 1936)

Happy Birthday to the legendary Ismail Merchant! Your films have always been a delightful feast, richer than your famous on-set cooking. From "A Room with a View" to "Howards End," you've given us timeless classics that continue charming audiences worldwide.

Your partnership with James Ivory remains iconic—proving that great cinema, like fine wine (or your delicious biryani), only gets better over time. May your birthday be filled with laughter and joy as grand as the lavish sets you created. Here's wishing you endless applause and many more cinematic masterpieces ahead—because let's face it, nobody does elegance quite like Merchant Ivory!