The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel

Visit The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel – and meet Richard Gere!

For all those who loved ‘The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel’, there’s more – ‘The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel! The joy of sequels can be akin to comfort food – getting involved in the lives of favorite characters once again and seeing how they are all doing since you saw them last.  And this one even has that quintessential desi pleaser – a Big Fat Indian Wedding!

Sonny, the ever optimistic entrepreneur (Dev Patel) is getting married to his sweetheart Sunaina (Tina Desai)  and planning to create yet another hotel for the Elderly and the Beautiful. Two newcomers are coming into the colorful mix – Guy played by Richard Gere and Lavinia by Tamin Greig – and there are bound to be all sorts of fun situations with a touch of whimsy and dry humor.  The movie is set to be released in early March, and the Indo-American Arts Council (IAAC) is also having a screening on March 2.

A Peek into The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel with  Judi Dench & Maggie Smith

One thing is certain, India has got into the blood of all these characters! You can see that even in the way they dressed for the premiere in London – desi to the hilt!

Dame Judi Dench

Celia Imrie

Tina Desai

Lillete Dubey

The London Premiere of ‘The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel’

Love – and Hope – flower in ‘The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel’…

I think what has touched viewers the most is the universality of the love stories, age is no barrier to falling in love and love comes again and again.  Or at least the hope that love will happen blooms again and again. I recall when I went for the press day of  ‘The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel’,  the press goodie bag included all sorts of wacky things including Indian spices and a white bathrobe with the Best Exotic Marigold insignia. There was also a package of tiny marigold seeds which I did plant in my garden – to my surprise a riot of yellow and orange marigolds sprouted up that season.  I guess, it’s a little like love relationships – they flower again and again in ‘The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel’, and now in its sequel.  I am looking forward to the marigolds blooming again this summer!

The marigolds from a seed packet of ‘The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel’

Dev Patel – Interview on the sets