Slumdog's Dev: 'I'm still starstruck'

With 'Slumdog Millionaire' picking up awards left, right and centre, its star Dev Patel is the man of the moment, but the 18-year-old said he was still getting used to the celebrity lifestyle.

Photographers’ flashbulbs still catch him by surprise and he admitted he would be taking his autograph book with him to the Oscars later this month.

“It’s really surreal,” he said, “I got off the plane at Heathrow and there were loads of paparazzi.

“I was like, ’Are you sure? Are you sure there’s nobody better?”’

Slumdog is in the running for 10 Oscars, but the teenager from London is just excited to be meeting the stars.

“I’ve grown up watching these people on TV, then when you’re finally there on the red carpet and meet these people, and they know who you are – it’s crazy,” he said.

He said he was particularly looking forward to meeting Jim Carrey and Will Smith.

“I’m going to take my autograph book to the Oscars,” he added.

Patel rose to fame in the Channel 4 teen drama 'Skins', but he said fame had yet to pay dividends in one important respect.

“From the ladies – not much, I’m not going to lie to you, it’s better, but nobody’s tearing at my shirt.”