Stars shine at royal film premiere for ‘The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel’

February 18 2015

OLD WORLD and new world glamour – with an Indian fusion – came together in eye-catching style last night as the stars of “The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel” gathered for its glittering royal premiere in Leicester Square, London.

His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall were both in attendance last night and met many of the cast and those behind the film.

Young star Tina Desai, who plays the bride to be (‘Sunaina’) to Dev Patel’s (‘Sonny’), in the sequel to the hit first edition, “The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel”, arrived in a rickshaw.

She was fitted out in a full length lehnga outfit by with shimmering work created specially for the premiere by Indian fashion icon Manish Malhotra, while her prospective mother-in-law in the film Lillete Dubey (Mrs Kapoor) was decked in a white sari.

Dame Judi Dench, who told www.asianculturevulture.com she loved filming in India, and co-star Celia Imrie, who also talked about her experiences in India to us, showed off the Indian influence on them in what they wore too.

There was a special orange carpet and marigold flowers everywhere.

Among the others at last night’s premiere were London based-actor Shazad Latif (who plays Sunny’s business and love rival in the film, ‘Kushal’), Dame Maggie Smith, Ronald Pickup, Diana Hardcastle, director John Madden, writer Ol Parker and producer Graham Broadbent.

Other celebrities at the premiere, included TV presenter Myleene Klass, actor Thandie Newton and former “Brookside” side babe, Claire Sweeney.

The film releases on Thursday next week (February 26).

It very much picks up where the last one left off with Sonny looking to expand his burgeoning empire amidst his wedding with Sunaina and his motley guests, including Richard Gere as mysterious American, ‘Guy Chambers’, looking to find love and a sense of adventure at the Best Exotic Marigold Hotel in Jaipur.

The film is a Fox Searchlight Picture presentation in association with Participant Media and Image Nation Abu Dhabi and Blueprint Pictures Production.

We have interviews with Dev Patel, Tina Desai, Dame Judi Dench, Lillete Dubey, Celia Imrie and director John Madden. Coming to the site soon.