Slumdog Millionnaire fame Dev Patel has opened up about the experience of starring in the movie "Lion," which he describes as the "the most nourishing thing I've been able to dive into."
"Lion" is based on a real life story of an Indian boy, Saroo Brierley, who was separated from his brother in India at the age of 7 while scavenging for food on a train.Saroo ended up in a completely different part of India, away from his brother and family and was eventually adopted by Australian parents (played by Nicole Kidman and David Wenham). Dev Patel is all set to achieve new heights with his recent release: "I don't get roles like [Lion], ever.To be able to say such words of gravitas and not be pandering to someone else, or playing a sort of tech geek. It was a transformative journey," Patel told ABC News in an interview.
Patel also talked about how the story deeply resonated with him. "It's something I could relate to about someone who's suppressed his culture and a part of himself for a while to try and fit in, and then all of a sudden having those memories come back," said the actor.
"When I first went to India for Slumdog [Millionaire] (Patel's breakout role in the Oscar-winning Danny Boyle film), it was a light-bulb moment, and those cliches I had of the country and the people, it kind of was all dispersed straight away."
The British actor rose to international stardom at the tender age of 17, owing to the Oscar winning film "Slumdog Millionaire." But Patel said that after stepping off the promising red carpets of the Oscar and Academy awards there wasn't much films coming up his way. "There's been times after 'Slumdog [Millionaire],' where I looked out and there wasn't a sea of roles," Patel said.
Patel said he cherished the diversity of the roles that have enriched his experience and have made him grow as an actor, especially the one in his recent film 'Lion.'
