Lilette Dubey paired with Richard Gere

Bollywood queens largely dream of  becoming Hollywood-oriented. But when it comes to reality they end up with minuscule roles. Motor-mouth Mallika Sherawat had a seven-minute role opposite Jackie Chan in The Myth. Aishwarya Rai had a blink-and-miss role in Pink Panther 2.

Even the formidable Shabana Azmi had only a walk-on part in Son Of The Pink Panther.

It therefore comes as a pleasant surprise to hear that Lilette Dubey will be paired opposite Hollywood heavyweight Richard Gere in the sequel to the successful 2011 British film The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel directed by John Madden.

The sequel would feature much of the same cast as the original. However, Dev Patel who played the Indian romantic lead opposite Tena Desae has been ousted while Richard Gere who was not part of the first film, has been added to the cast. Says the source, “Tina is in the sequel. But not Dev. They’re looking for a replacement. The biggest add-on in the sequel is Richard Gere who has been cast opposite Lilette Dubey.”

In the original Lilette played the gregarious and chatty Mrs Kapoor. In the sequel she will have a love interest played by the the distinguished Gere. While the details of the sequel are currently being kept under wraps with every member of the cast and crew sworn to secrecy by a confidentiality clause, the very reliable source informs that the sequel to The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel begins shooting in India in January 2014.

“The sequel will be shot in one long schedule in Jaipur and Udaipur,” informs the source.