As India celebrates its 74th Independence Day on Saturday, Slumdog Millionaire fame Dev Patel recalled how his affair with the country began while shooting for the film here.

"I had been to India a couple of times as a child but my real exposure to the country happened when I shot for 'Slumdog Millionaire'. My love affair with India started while working on the film. I did not understand Indian culture properly while growing up in London. I feel blessed that through 'Slumdog Millionaire I got the opportunity to witness India's beauty and its people in a detailed way," Dev told IANS.