LONDON: Freida Pinto, 24, has for the first time confessed her love for her Slumdog Millionaire co-star Dev Patel, 19.

The couples have earlier been spotted cuddling up in Israel, and ring shopping in London after the Oscar-winning film was released. And now, in a recent interview, Freida has called Dev "a lovely boy".

"The friendship blossomed after the film, it got even stronger. This is all new to us," the Sun quoted her as saying.