The filmmaker had reportedly been suffering from stomach problems over the past year, including undergoing an operation recently for abdominal ulcers

Born in Bombay (now Mumbai) in December 1936, Merchant came to New York University in 1958, and earned a business degree. While there, he developed an affinity for cinema and produced his first film, 1960's The Creation of Woman, a 14-minute short film that was an official US entry at the Cannes Film Festival that year and eventually earned Merchant his first Oscar nomination.

A year later he met Ivory at a screening of the latter's documentary The Sword and the Flute, and the two struck up a friendship. They soon decided to go into business together making English-language costume dramas for the Indian market.

Their first film outing was The Householder, a comedy-drama about young Indian newlyweds based on a novel by Ruth Prawer Jhabvala.

In 1974, Merchant got behind the camera for the Indian short film Mahatma and the Mad Boy. It wasn't until 1993 that he finally made his feature film debut with In Custody, but for the most part, he stuck to the business side.

Even after their heyday in the late '80s through early '90s, Merchant-Ivory continued to churn out well-crafted period stories, most notably 1995's Jefferson in Paris, starring Nick Nolte and Gwyneth Paltrow, 1996's Surviving Picasso and 2001's The Golden Bowl. More recently, they teamed up for 2003's Le Divorce, a comedy of manners featuring Kate Hudson and Naomi Watts.

Prior to his death, Merchant was working on several projects, including The Goddess, a Bollywood-style musical with Tina Turner and The White Countess, a costume drama about an American diplomat in 1930s Shanghai, starring Ralph Fiennes and Natasha Richardson. The latter is due out in November.

Aside from his producing duties, Merchant was also a chef and author of several cookbooks. Among them Ismail Merchant's Indian Cuisine is quite popular.

Compiled by Cultural Correspondent