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"Most Indian actors of my age want to be Bollywood stars, so they spend their time honing their bodies for beefcake roles. Danny wanted someone ordinary, like me. So that's how I found myself in the lead," said the young star in an interview with 'Daily Mail.'
Patel, who is a British citizen of Indian origin, plays the lead in the film along with with Bollywood actor Anil Kapoor and Irrfan Khan.
This is Patel's first film and the actor, who according to Boyle has the potential to be the 'next Michael Sheen', said that he didn't think he stood a chance at getting the role while auditioning.
"I'm as bewildered and starstruck as any other teenager could get in the situation I am in now," he said.
And with 'Slumdog' Patel has been removed from obscurity and is on a head long journey to fame and fortune as the film is on a award winning spree. It has already bagged 5 Golden Globe nominations.
"I've been living two different lives," said Patel, adding that his family helps him keep grounded.
"By day, I've got the leading role in a movie, in spite of having no acting training and very little experience.
"And at night I go home and my mum is telling me to make my bed, keep my room tidy and help with the washing-up. It keeps my feet on the ground, stops me from letting it all go to my head," he said.
Patel said that his Indian sojourn was a unique learning experience.
"I got to see places that you don't get to see being stuck in an air-conditioned hotel. I had to de-British myself.
I got to see a slum called Dharavi, which has a population of two million people.This whole experience has made me appreciate my own comfortable life a lot more."
But despite the immense success that has come his way, the young actor says that his life has not changed the way people suppose it did.
"I am a normal kid. I travel by public transport. I do the same things I've always done, have the same friends. Nothing has changed," Patel said.
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Dev Patel...u'v done an excellent job! i could nvr evn imagind dat a boy of my age cn do such gr8 job bt having so ordinary background!! u'v changed my oppinion abt indian artists.n dis movie 'slumdog millanaire' made me a fan of hindi movies.thnx... :)
You must never have seen movies like Satya, Company - made by RGV, Parinda - Slumdog Millionaire is similar 2 these films and is only being made a big deal out of because the director is Danny Boyle. Our directors have made films like this but they never gain much attention in the western world... Satya is more realistic than Slumdog Millionaire and by far better... why doesnt Danny boy not make a film on the British slums instead of trying 2 show indian slums... p.s. wtf as if danny boyle couldnt find a boy in mumbai who is skinny i have been 2 mumbai and ther r plenty of skinny indian actors who r young. is he blind or what?
Does not matter where the actors originated,worldwide opinion is that its a great true depiction of Indian life . Let the whole world realise this...it will open their outlook ..nothing to be ashamed..namasthe
Good job Dev Patel. You are a very talented actor..... Unlike the actors in bollywood.... The movie was fantastic....true mumbai life in the slums.......So happy that AR Rahman won an award too makes us so proud.
It's a pity in one way that Dan Boyle has produced a beautiful movie like this, but none from our own bollywood ppl can do it. He depicted the originality of mumbai (or India) honestly and most accurately and none of our Indian directors can even imagine doing it. All we see in our movies is the same love, songs, fights, good guy
No native Indian actor would have done justice to the part. Native Indians don't act, they just overact, they are good Ramleela actors. That list includes three Khans and all others with the exception of Dilip Kumar, Naseeruddin Shah, Motilal, Raj Kapoor and few others. India doesn't have De Nero and Al Pacino. These nautanki actors are okay for Bollywood but not for western world. an audience of educated thinking mind.
With due apologies Dr. Ajay u r the type of person who love everything west.Ur type of people will want to associate everything that comes good out india but also the first one to criticise India and Indians to proclaim urself so called 'westerner'.
Dr. ajay im completly disagree what ur saying. before u make any comment u need to b thorough on what u say...thhanks
i think this is a very bad movie. People should not waste their money watching this movie
You didn't look hard enough Danny Boyle. It was so absured watching what was supposed to be a boy from the slums barely speak and when he did in the most crass tones attempting to imitate an Indian accent. And how come this orphan suddenly grasped the English language? The adolescent boys looked like they had been picked from Saket in South Delhi. Crass, overrated and Unauthentic.