Speaking in this week's Radio Times, the 26-year-old said, "I didn't fully embrace my culture when I was at school because I wanted to fit in and not get bullied" referring to his past growing up in Harrow in West London, reports the Mirror.
‘Slumdog Millionaire’ actor Dev Patel still ‘best friends’ with EX Freida Pinto
"It was only when I went to India with Slumdog that I started to appreciate the country. I was educated out of all those preconceived stereotypes about my culture," he quipped.
Patel, who is nominated for a Golden Globe and a Bafta for his portrayal of Saroo Brierley in the new film, also spoke of his frustration at the lack of roles for actors from diverse backgrounds.
"You can only go as far as the scripts that are landing on your agent's desk," he shared, "So I am trying to be the person who isn't waiting for the phone to ring but can generate their own material."
Adding that after his Oscar-winner 'Slumdog Millionaire', he found it hard to find "substantial follow-ups", the 'The Man Who Knew Infinity' actor said, "It's hard when there is nothing good out there that is not your usual goofy best friend/funny sidekick/techie roles."
Dev Patel proud of Ramanujan legacy, but scared of maths
Patel is seen alongside Nicole Kidman, Rooney Mara, Nawazuddin Siddiqui and many others in Garth David's 'Lion', which is in theatres.
ANI