Dev Patel Rose from Slumdog to Stardom
By James Moreau | 30 Jun, 2025

Dev Patel rose to international fame with Slumdog Millionaire and added to his critical acclaim through hits like Lion and Monkey Man

Dev Patel is an established British Indian actor with 20 film credits.

Patel’s breakthrough role was Jamal Malik in the critically acclaimed 2008 film Slumdog Millionaire. The film famously won eight Academy Awards including Best Picture while Patel snagged a Critics’ Choice Award for Best Young Performer.  Slumdog was also a financial success, grossing $378 million worldwide on a $15 million budget.

His next film The Last Airbender in 2010 was largely panned but grossed over $319 million, more than twice its budget, barely putting it over break even.  The experience helped Patel see the importance of listening to his instincts and saying “no” to projects that don't feel right.

Patel moved to Los Angeles in 2012 after being cast in the HBO series The Newsroom. The political drama created by Aaron Sorkin received generally favorable reviews and currently has an 8.6 IMDB rating. Patel starred in all 25 episodes over 3 seasons.

He also starred in several films, including 2012’s The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, the 2015 sequel The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, and the 2015 dystopian science fiction action film Chappie.

His performance in 2016’s Lion solidified his status as a household name by earning Patel an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor and a BAFTA Award for Best Actor. Lion also did well at the box office, grossing $149 million.

In 2024 Patel made his directorial debut with Monkey Man a film he also wrote and starred in. The film draws partial inspiration from the Hindu story of Hanuman, a deity depicted as half-man, half-monkey. Netflix acquired the film for $30 million. Now 35, Patel began is acting career in 2006 with 18 episodes of the British series Skins.  His parents are of Gujarati Indian descent and immigrated to the United Kingdom from Nairobi, Kenya.