It has the comfy vibe of the familiar, but it’s all in feel-good fun

Now that The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel is full up with its long-term residents, co-managers Muriel Donnelly (Maggie Smith) and Sonny Kapoor (Dev Patel) have a dream of expansion, and they’ve found just the place: The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel. With plans underway, Evelyn and Douglas (Judi Dench and Bill Nighy) venture into the Jaipur workforce, wondering where their regular breakfast dates will lead. Meanwhile, Norman and Carol (Ronald Pickup and Diana Hardcastle) navigate the swirling waters of an exclusive relationship, as Madge (Celia Imrie) juggles two very eligible suitors, and recent arrival Guy Chambers (Richard Gere) finds a muse in Sonny’s mother, Mrs. Kapoor (Lillete Dubey) for his next novel. As his marriage to Sunaina (Tina Desai), the love of his life, quickly approaches, Sonny finds his plans for the new hotel making more claims on his time than he has available. Perhaps the only one who may know the answers is Muriel, the keeper of everyone’s secrets. As the big day nears, family and guests alike find themselves swept up in the irresistible intoxication of an Indian wedding.

Fox Searchlight Pictures Presents, in association with Participant Media and Image Nation Abu Dhabi, a Blueprint Pictures Production, a film by John Madden, The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, with a cast including Judi Dench, Maggie Smith, Bill Nighy, Dev Patel, Celia Imrie, Penelope Wilton, Ronald Pickup, Tina Desai, Diana Hardcastle, Lillete Dubey, Tamsin Greig, Shazad Latif with David Strathairn and Richard Gere. The film is directed by John Madden (Shakespeare In Love) from a script by Ol Parker and screen story by Parker and Madden. The producers are Graham Broadbent and Pete Czernin of Blueprint Pictures. The executive producers are Jeff Skoll, Jonathan King, John Madden and Michael Dreyer.

Classification PG