Considering the quality of most sequels, it was bold, or rash, to put the words “second best” in the title. But though still treacly, still exasperatingly sentimental and stereotypical, this follow-up to the first Exotic Marigold Hotel turns out to be rather better. By bringing back the story of Brit retirees at a chaotic Indian hotel, director John Madden and his writer, Ol Parker, have given it the air of an unassuming BBC1 sitcom that grows on you. It’s a daft, good-natured Arcadian comedy of late-life yearnings with the same formidable cast, plus some newcomers. Maggie Smith’s cockney accent is still unconvincing, but there’s no doubt that her screen presence and sheer thespian firepower lend heft to this film, especially in its final moments. And the love-story associated with Celia Imrie’s saucy character is concluded with unexpected subtlety.

Dev Patel’s nervy entrepreneur Sonny is now looking to expand the operation into a second building and a US retirement-home business might possibly invest, but first they want to send an inspector to check out the set-up. So both Sonny and his female guests are all a-flutter when a silver-fox American called Guy turns up, played by Richard Gere, claiming merely to be a writer. Sonny is convinced he is the inspector and someone to be sucked up to at all times. (Casting Bernard Cribbins might have been nice.) Meanwhile, Bill Nighy’s shy, hopeless character, Douglas, is hopelessly in love with Evelyn, played by Judi Dench. It’s silly but likable.