The (very fun) Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel!

“You're nineteen days older than I'm,” says Muriel, played by Maggie Smith, in an exasperated tone to Evelyn (Judy Dench) and she replies… “Nineteen days is the life span of a wasp.”

It is such cleverly cutting wit that makes the ‘Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel’ almost as good as the original — The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel.

Almost the entire cast of the first movie returns for the second run, which also means some of the best acting talents of the olden generation share a single cinema screen.

The sequel begins nine months after the events of the original. If the first movie chronicled the culture clash experienced by the mostly English pensioners of the charming, but run-down hotel, in the second, they are slowly warming up to life in India.

Muriel is helping the hotel’s proprietor Sonny (Dev Patel) to expand his operation while Madge (Celia Imrie), a sassy single woman in the first film, is seeing two wealthy Indian men.

Evelyn has been offered a job as a textile purchaser while her obvious chemistry with Douglas (Bill Nighy) seems to be going nowhere, much to both their frustration.

Sonny is looking to expand his business by opening a new hotel and is also looking to marry his sweetheart Sunaina (Tina Desai). Obviously, he is unable to cope and things go haywire.

A totally new character is introduced in this installment — an author played by the inimitable Richard Gere, who has always professed his love for the sub continent.

Though the movie may be a bit predictable, it’s still a wonderful watch. The total experience of the key actors on screen may easily top more than 200 years. And they prove they just get better with age.

While Dev Patel overacts (as he is supposed to, I guess), others put up mature performances. If you seek a little relief from the mind-blowing action movies that come to theatres a dime a dozen nowadays, then this is the perfect evening watch for you.

As a plus, take your parents with you as well. They may enjoy and appreciate it as much as you, or perhaps even more.

VERDICT: It’s a charming film and holds up quite well as a sequel. This will bring out quite a few chuckles and is worth the price of admission. 7.5 stars out of 10.