Dev Patel worked on Hindi, Punjabi for his role in ‘Hotel Mumbai’

British actor of Indian origin Dev Patel said that he had to work on his Hindi and Punjabi while working for film Hotel Mumbai. Dev Patel has played role of a turbaned Sikh who works in Hotel under Chef Hemant Oberoi played by Anupam Kher. Patel, in an interview, added that he spent around a month with his coach Raghuveer Joshi working on accent and pitch.

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Plays a fictional character

film is based on 2008 Mumbai attacks at Taj Mahal Palace Hotel. But Patel claimed that character he has played is fictional and re was reference point for it. He said playing a Sikh character was unchartered territory and he was glad that film pushed him to try it out. Dev Patel rose to fame with Slumdog Millionaire, a Danny Boyle drama, which went on to win numerous Academy Awards in 2009 including Best Picture.

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Accusations of 'cultural appropriation'

actor was blamed for cultural appropriation by Indian characters in films like Hotel Mumbai, Lion and Slumdog Millionaire.

“I get flak sometimes because people will say, ‘Why aren’t y giving se roles to a real Indian?’ I wonder, What does that even mean? only way I can converse with my grandparents is in Gujarati. Does that make me real eugh? Or am I only allowed to witness moments of prejudice and racism going through airports? Is that only bit that I’m allowed of culture?” Patel had said in an interview. actor said that he was trying to understand his herit and it reflects in movie choices he makes.

Hotel Mumbai, a directorial debut of Australian filmmaker Antony Maras, is set to release in India, on vember 29. It released in UK last month retelling horrors faced by hosts at Taj hotel on vember 26, 2008.

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(With Inputs from ncies)