Dev Patel and Freida Pinto

Dev Patel's mother has confirmed he is dating Freida Pinto.

Anita Patel, 45, has revealed the "Slumdog Millionaire" stars - who were spotted kissing on the set of the beauty's new movie in Israel last week - are an item and says she is "really happy" for them.

She is quoted by Britain's Daily Mirror newspaper as saying: "First it was the film and now everything else seems to have slotted into place. Life can't get any better for him.

"Freida is really beautiful and I am really happy for them. Yes, we knew he was flying to Israel to see her."

The couple were photographed kissing and cuddling during an intimate lunch date last week after the 19-year-old actor jetted off to surprise the 24-year-old actress.

One onlooker said: "They looked very happy together and they didn't seem to care who saw them. Dev couldn't take his eyes off her and she couldn't help cuddling up to him. They kept staring into each other's eyes. They were certainly acting like a couple, despite what they have both said. When they left the bar they split up and tried to act like they weren't together."

The pair grew close when they played childhood sweethearts Jamal and Latika in Danny Boyle's Academy Award-winning film about a young boy's journey from the slums of India to appearing on TV quiz show "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?".

In February, their "Slumdog Millionaire" co-star Anil Kapoor claimed the couple were having a secret relationship.

They have always denied they are romantically involved.

(China Daily/Agencies, April 28, 2009)