Dev Patel says contestants in his look-alike contest were 'far more handsome and qualified' than he is

Dev Patel doesn't resent his imitators — he thinks they're even better qualified to be Dev Patel than he is.

When asked at the Red Sea Film Festival about last month's Dev Patel look-alike contest that was held in San Francisco's Dolores Park, Patel said he'd "heard all about it" and was "surprised more than five people showed up," Variety reported.

"I was quite overwhelmed by it and very touched," the Lion Oscar nominee said. "I also gotta say that I think most of the men who showed up were far more handsome and qualified than I am. I think I would have lost at my own look-alike contest, for sure."

Patel expressed hope that "I am just the gateway to this happening to all sorts of brilliant actors of different races and genders," saying it was "refreshing to see a community come together like that and, hey, if there is ever a moment where I can be associated with some form of laughter and joy, it's great. It is all good."

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In 2021, Patel launched his own production company, Minor Realm, and encapsulated its spirit in similar terms, saying he hoped for the company to "explore and develop the creative landscape of voices and talent that too often are unrecognized, bringing these stories to life in a larger way."

Related: Dev Patel broke his hand on the Monkey Man set, and all he got was a T-shirt of his X-ray

The winner of the Nov. 10 look-alike contest was a 25-year-old Bay Area resident named Jaipreet Hundal. For this accidental genetic blessing, Hudnal was awarded $50, flowers, and a tiny monkey statue in honor of Patel's recent feature film directorial debut, Monkey Man.

Patel's big break came in his role as Jamal Malik in Danny Boyle's 2008 feature Slumdog Millionaire, which plucked the actor from relative obscurity at only 18 and went on to Oscar glory, winning eight awards.

Related: Dev Patel on his 10-year journey to make Monkey Man: ‘Early on, I could never get access to a role like this’

The London-born actor has maintained a steady career acting in independent and boundary-pushing cinema. He won critical acclaim for roles in Garth Davis' 2016 drama Lion, costarring Nicole Kidman; Wes Anderson's short film The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar; and David Lowery's The Green Knight.

Patel will soon continue his genre streak with Rabbit Trap, an isolated aural nightmare from director Bryn Chainey and producer Elijah Wood.

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