'I get flak sometimes': 'Slumdog Millionaire' actor Dev Patel talks about facing criticism for taking away roles from Indian actors

British-Indian actor Dev Patel who has been known for his critically acclaimed performance in 'Slumdog Millionaire' recently opened up about the flak he faces for being an Non-resident Indian. In a recent interview, he said that he is often criticized for taking away the roles from 'real' Indian actors. The 28-year-old actor, who was born in London to parents from Gujarat, India, said he is trying to understand himself better by connecting to his heritage.

“I get flak sometimes because people will say, ‘Why aren’t they giving these roles to a real Indian?’ I wonder, What does that even mean? The only way I can converse with my grandparents is in Gujarati. Does that make me real enough? Or am I only allowed to witness the moments of prejudice and racism going through airports? Is that the only bit that I’m allowed of the culture?" PTI quoted him as saying.

“The truth is I’m trying to understand myself better and my heritage, to figure things out, in the movie choices I make. That’s been the greatest thing for me in going to India repeatedly,” Patel further stated.

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As per media reports, previously, Dev had confessed that he 'reconnected' with his Indian roots while he was shooting for the Oscar-winning 'Slumdog Millionaire' in 2008. However, in 2016, he reportedly opened up about how he could never really fit in as the locals “could smell the foreigner on me”.

Meanwhile, on the work front, 'The Lion' fame is now gearing up for the release of his film 'Hotel Mumbai', which is based on Mumbai terror attacks that took place on November 26, 2008. Rather than focusing on all the different attacks, this mainly covers the isolated incident when terrorists laid siege to the Taj Mahal hotel near the Gateway of India. The makers have taken up a unique perspective as it narrates the incident from the point of view of the hotel attendants of Taj. 

The film which also stars veteran actor Anupam Kher features Dev as a simple Sikh man who works as a staff member at the hotel, whereas Kher plays the role of a chef, who takes charge of the situation as the crisis takes place. It also features Armie Hammer as one of the foreign guests who was staying there at the time.

READ: The First Trailer Of 'Hotel Mumbai' Showcases The 2008 Mumbai Terror Attack From A New Lens

The Indian-American-Australian thriller film is directed by Anthony Maras and written by John Collee and Maras. It is based on the 2009 documentary 'Surviving Mumbai'. The film premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival on September 7, 2018, and is scheduled for a theatrical release on March 29, 2019, by Bleecker Street and ShivHans Pictures. 

Watch the trailer here:

 (With inputs from PTI)