Prior to 2007, Dev Patel was just another London teenager, albeit one with a passion for acting and tae kwon-do. But after landing a role on the controversial television series “Skins” (E4, 2007- ), he caught the attention of director Danny Boyle, who was desperate for a non-traditional leading man of Indian descent for his new film. The picture, “Slumdog Millionaire” (2008), was a charming comedy-drama about a young resident of the Mumbai slums who earns a shot at improving his life via the game show “Who Wants to be a Millionaire?” Patel’s endearing performance helped to make the film a hit
