Plot: It's been eight months since the Best Exotic Marigold Hotel in Jaipur, India, has been in its current model, with the original British pensioner residents minus Graham (Tom Wilkinson), and Douglas Ainslie's (Bill Nighy's) now estranged wife Jean (Dame Penelope Wilton), still there and immersed in South Asian life for all of its good and bad. In both the good and bad categories, they all, minus Muriel Donnelly (Dame Maggie Smith), are facing emotional issues of the heart in one form or another, which are somewhat affected by their professional commitments. Meanwhile, the hotel is victim of its own success, and as such, the world is seemingly Sonny Kapoor's (Dev Patel's) oyster. He is financially secure enough that he and Sunaina (Tina Desai) can now get married. But he and his business partner Muriel believe they need to expand to a second property, that property which they have chosen and has long been on the market. They are looking for an investor, they believing being a franchise of Evergreen, an American based conglomerate specializing in seniors facilities, the best way to proceed. Evergreen's response is that they will send someone to Jaipur to investigate on their behalf. Sonny is certain the Evergreen representative is an American who checks into the hotel without a reservation, Guy Chambers (Richard Gere), despite Guy stating that he is an aspiring novelist wanting to experience the world for his book. Regardless, Sonny places all of his attention on Guy at the expense of everyone else, especially the other temporary resident of the hotel, Lavinia Beech (Tamsin Greig), a young Brit who is on a reconnaissance trip at the hotel for her mother, and at the expense of his and Sunaina's wedding planning. Sonny's world takes a possible turn for the worse with the arrival back into town of his brother's friend, Kushal (Shazad Latif), as Kushal ends up factoring into Sonny's professional life, as well as is a person who may interest neglected Sunaina romantically. What Sonny is unaware of is that his own actions are a bigger threat to his professional success and future life with Sunaina than Kushal or anybody or anything else. He will also find that eventual heartache is an inherent part of his life in running the hotel in its current model.
Alternative Plot: As his marriage to Sunaina draws near, Sonny sets his eye on opening a second residence for the elderly, but finds the project requires more time than he can spare. Meanwhile, Evelyn and Douglas wonder where their relationship is going, Norman and Carol try to remain exclusive, Madge juggles two rich suitors, and the single remaining vacancy poses a problem for two new arrivals. As the demands of Sonny's traditional Indian wedding threaten to overwhelm them all, an unexpected solution appears.
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