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Star Freida Pinto's dumped fiance reveals movie stole his happiness
News of the World, 22 February 2009 By Jane Atkinson and Gethin Chamberlain in Mumbai THE heartbroken fiancé of Slumdog Millionaire beauty Freida Pinto today reveals how the film’s success and her “infatuation” with co-star Dev Patel finished their relationship. Dumped Rohan Antao blames the hit movie and her on-screen lover for wrecking his wedding plans. As gorgeous Freida prepares to walk down the red carpet at tonight’s Oscars on the arm of the Slumdog star, Rohan told the News of the World: “She ended it with me after getting close to Dev Patel. “Now everywhere I go I see them on billboards. I am devastated.” In an exclusive interview Rohan, 24, revealed how Freida: * FORCED him to keep their engagement secret to boost her career. * IGNORED his pleas to stop spending so much time with Dev. * ENDED their 16-month relationship in a phone call while she was promoting Slumdog with her co-star. The blockbuster—up for ten Oscars— has made overnight global stars of young Londoner Dev and Freida. It tells the story of sweethearts Latika and Jamal, who rises from the slums of Mumbai to win India’s Who Wants To Be A Millionaire? show. But Rohan fumed: “I hate the film. It wrecked my relationship. As soon as it became a success and she started spending all her time with Dev, she ended it.” Rohan first fell for Freida at university in Mumbai six years ago, where she was studying for an arts BA. Marketing executive Rohan recalled: “We were from different groups but I thought she was stunning and we had so much in common. “We spent all our time together, just the two of us. We were a modern couple, so we didn’t need a chaperone.” In September 2007 they started dating properly. By then Freida, 24, had done an acting course and was working in TV and modelling, appearing in magazines and ads for Wrigley’s chewing gum and Skoda. Rohan said: “We were from different fields but our friendship and respect for each other made it special. We both agreed we wanted to spend our lives together.”
The couple enjoyed shopping together, eating out and watching movies. He smiled: “It was the happiest time of my life. Freida was lovely and I felt complete with her. “If I’d had a busy day at work I would meet her and we’d hug. Her embrace was amazing and you could forget about all your worries. “That’s what I loved about her the most. There’s more, but we’re private people and that’s between her and me.” In December 2007—within days of Freida winning the role of Latika— Rohan proposed on the rooftop of a bar in Mumbai and the couple celebrated their engagement with a party for 30 family and friends in Goa. “It was beautiful,” he said. “We gave a speech about how we would love each other forever. Our families were happy for us. But we never spoke about when we would marry. We’d decided our careers would come first.” Little did he know how much that decision would cost him. Slumdog turned out to be the young Indian actress’s big break. “She was ambitious and worked hard,” said Rohan. Freida’s life was soon transformed. Rohan sighed: “The film bosses didn’t want her to be engaged. It would affect the whole emphasis of the film, the love story. I had no say in it..” At one party Rohan met Oscar-nominated film director Danny Boyle. “He was very down to earth,” he recalled, “but I had to lie all evening and say I was Freida’s boyfriend, not her fiancé.”
Rohan gradually started to feel their relationship slip through his fingers as she spent more time away from him—jetting round the world promoting the film with gawky 18-year-old Skins star Dev. He went on: “I didn’t go with her. I had my own work to do and we weren’t supposed to be seen together. She told me it was a requirement, so I had to get on with it. “But it was all too much too soon for her. She was staying in five-star hotels and being driven by chauffeurs—it was quite a change. “And she was always with Dev, doing press publicity. They certainly did a brilliant job promoting a film about a couple in love! I knew there was chemistry between them, but she said she had no feelings towards him at that time.” But Rohan’s frustration boiled over when Freida was again with him at the Toronto Film Festival last September. He sent Dev an angry text message questioning: “You do know she is engaged, don’t you?” Dev never responded. Rohan went on: “I asked Freida to spend less time with Dev, but she refused. She was comfortable with him, and we were talking over the phone less and less. I was ticked off with Dev—and her.” In interviews Dev has never hidden his admiration for Freida, even referring to her as a “soulmate”. In one he admitted: “I haven’t got a girlfriend, but Freida, my co-star, is gorgeous.” And she has spoken of “instant chemistry” when she first met Dev. Call Rohan fumed: “I feel bitter towards Dev. If you are engaged to someone, the last thing you want to be thinking about is whether Dev Patel is telling her how wonderful she is.” Then last month, while the pair were promoting the film in Los Angeles, Rohan got the call he was dreading. “She decided she didn’t want to be with me any more. She said she wanted us to be friends. But how can I be when she has destroyed my faith in love? “She is infatuated with Dev. I don’t know if they were having a sexual relationship but if I came face to face with him I would have things to say.” Both Freida and Dev have refused to comment on claims they are a couple, although this week, co-star Anil Kapoor claimed the Slumdog lovers are dating for real, and were even spotted in High Street jewellers H. Samuel on Valentine’s Day. It marked a bitter end to Rohan’s relationship with Freida. He admitted: “This is a very hard time for me, because as much as I don’t want to let go, I have to. “I wish her success in her career, but I can’t watch the Oscars, and I don’t want to watch the film—it wrecked our love.”
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