A Royal Performance

A lavish set of marigold flowers and a bright orange carpet greeted guests as they arrived to the world premiere of The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, directed by John Madden.

 

The Royal guests of honour were joined by members of the cast and crew including stars Dame Judi Dench, Dame Maggie Smith, Celia Imrie, Ronald Pickup, Tina Desai, Lillete Dubey, Diana Hardcastle, Shazad Latif, director John Madden, writer Ol Parker and producer Graham Broadbent.

 

Tina Desai, who arrived in style in a glammed-up rickshaw, looked stunning in a designer lehnga outfit with shimmering mirror work. Co-star Lillete Dubey who stars as Mrs Kapoor looked equally striking in a white sari.

 

Also joining the cast on the red carpet were a host of stars including Thandie Newton, Jemima Khan, Claire Sweeney and Loose Women, Linda Robson and Andrea Maclean.

 

The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, which went on general release on 26th February is a sequel to the smash hit first film The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel.

 

The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel is the expansionist dream of Sonny (Dev Patel), and it’s making more claims on his time than he has available, considering his imminent marriage to the love of his life, Sunaina (Tina Desai). Sonny has his eye on a promising property now that his first venture, ‘The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel for the Elderly and Beautiful’, has only a single remaining vacancy – posing a rooming predicament for fresh arrivals Guy (Richard Gere) and Lavinia (Tamsin Greig).

 

Evelyn and Douglas (Judi Dench and Bill Nighy) have now joined the Jaipur workforce, and are wondering where their regular dates for Chilla pancakes will lead, while Norman and Carol (Ronald Pickup and Diana Hardcastle) are negotiating the tricky waters of an exclusive relationship, as Madge (Celia Imrie) juggles two eligible and very wealthy suitors. Perhaps the only one who may know the answers is newly installed co-manager of the hotel, Muriel (Maggie Smith), the keeper of everyone’s secrets.

 

As the demands of a traditional Indian wedding threaten to engulf them all, an unexpected way forward presents itself.

 

Dench had returned to India for eight weeks to make the second film with her co-stars Dame Maggie Smith, also 80, Celia Imrie, Diana Hardcastle and new castmate Richard Gere. “I couldn’t wait to get back”, she said of Jaipur, where most of the filming took place. “It was like those places you go to in your childhood and think won’t be the same, but it was, only better.”