Kotwal met Merchant during the production of the film, Cotton Mary, which he directed. She played the role of a hospital matron.
The first time she met him was to discuss her character in the film.
"I did not quite know what to expect, but was pleasantly surprised to meet someone who was friendly in a quiet sort of way, who was neither too loud nor snobbish," she recalls.
And no one can beat him at playing the perfect host, she adds.
"We shot for 15 days. One day, during a shoot in Cochin (now Kochi), we sat down for a meal. There was a particular dish I did not eat. He asked why I was not eating, and immediately arranged for another dish especially for me," says Kotwal.
"He was a genuinely polite, pleasant person who was passionate about what he did. Besides filmmaking, he had another passion: cooking. He would whip up meals for us and tell us how things were made, what spice he added, etc."
"Many people have bad memories post the making of a film, especially when they are paid late or are exposed to a bad production team."
"But I had a marvelous experience because Ismail Merchant's team was terrific. And he was the epitome of a gentleman."