The 'Lion' Actor's Love Journey Remains A Mystery

After you watch the incredible film that is Garth Davis' Lion, it's possible that you'll be left with a lot of overwhelming feelings. Mostly about one of its leads, Dev Patel. And mostly regarding the following question: Is Dev Patel single? You might recognize Patel as the talented young actor of Slumdog Millionaire fame. This year, he's receiving recognition for his role as Saroo Brierley in Lion. Recognition, might I add, that's undoubtedly deserved. (Read: overdue Oscar recognition.)

Lion, a film that's based on the real Saroo Brierley’s memoir A Long Way Home, follows the story of a five-year old boy who gets separated from his family and lost in India. In real life though, Davel seems to know his way around this world just fine. Take for instance, his breakout role in 2008. The then-17-year-old actor carried Danny Boyle’s Oscar winning film, Slumdog Millionaire. By that I mean, the movie would have been less impactful without his presence. You've seen it, you remember. He was that good. He wasn't nominated for an Oscar that year. (A definite oversight. See above, RE: his overdue Oscar recognition), but he was nominated for a Screen Actors Guild Award. Additionally, the actor picked up a highly coveted nomination for MTV Movie Awards "Best Kiss." A kiss he shared with his Slumdog co-star, Freida Pinto.

Speaking of Pinto, sometime in 2008, Patel and the actor took their relationship from on screen to off. However, in 2014, after six years of dating, the pair called it quits. Though, it seemed like an amicable breakup and the ex couple claims that they have since remained friends. In February of 2015, Patel told U.K.'s The Guardian, "We are incredibly close. She's just a really generous, patient human being who has been one of the most impactful people on my life. A lot of my motivation has come from her, from being with her and knowing her." Pinto confirmed this a few months later during a chat with USA Today. She said, "Dev and I are best friends. That's never going to change."

Even before they were dating, Patel was smitten. "We're soul mates because we're both in this surreal situation. She is very beautiful... I haven't got a girlfriend but Freida, my costar, is gorgeous," he confessed to Contact Music in 2008. Then, in a 2010 discussion with Interview magazine, Pinto said, "I guess he was right in a way; we are soul mates."

Since things ended, Patel hasn't been as forthright when it comes to his love life. In January of 2015, he was briefly spotted at the airport with someone else. It was assumed that they might have been romantically affiliated, but nothing was confirmed. Probably because two people getting off an airplane together doesn't really mean anything.

Right now, it doesn't look like Patel has his sights set on anything other than crushing the game as an actor. If he keeps delivering performances like the one he gave in Lion, then I'd say he's doing quite alright. Girlfriend or not.