In The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel Tena plays ‘Sunaina’, a fun and vibrant character who romances Dev Patel’s character ‘Sonny’. The film tells the story of a group of British retirees who decide to "outsource" their retirement to less expensive and seemingly exotic India. Enticed by advertisements for the newly restored Marigold Hotel and bolstered by visions of a life of leisure, they arrive to find the palace a shell of its former self. But, with the help of the ever-optimistic young manager Sonny (Dev Patel), they learn to make the most of their adventure.

The film is directed by Shakespeare In Love director John Madden and is based on Pride and Prejudice screenwriter Deborah Moggach’s book ‘These Foolish Things’