‘Slumdog’ Dev Patel roped in for Shyamalan’s ‘The Last Airbender’

Spicezee Bureau Mumbai, Feb 04: ‘Slumdog Millionaire’ lad Dev Patel is no underdog. The actor’s praiseworthy performance in the flick has caught the eye of who’s who of the entertainment world. Just one movie old, the young lad is already going places and his popularity quotient already beats that of the top notch industry biggies.After Danny Boyle’s much acclaimed film, ‘Slumdog Millionaire’ turned the young debutant into an overnight sensation, the latest director who is vying to cast Patel is the thriller maker M Night Shyamalan. According to the latest buzz, Patel has signed on the dotted line for Shyamalan’s next flick ‘The Last Airbender’. Though the filmmaker had his eyes set on Patel even before he came under the arc lights, he held back due to certain inhibitions. However, once the director saw Patel in his debut venture, all inhibitions vanished and he immediately got Patel on board. Speaking to a news daily, Shyamalan said, "Dev was one of the guys I was interested in. Then I saw Slumdog Millionaire; the kid just grew in my eyes". The actor will be seen essaying the role that was initially offered to pop star Jesse McCartney but after Jesse`s career as a "musician" interfered, Patel was roped in. the actor will enact the role of Prince Zuko in the film. Based on a hit animated television series ‘Avatar-The Last Airbender’, the film is set to hit screens in 2010.