Freida Pinto and Dev Patel famously played lovers Latika and Jamal in 2008’s Slumdog Millionaire – and, on set, a real-life romance blossomed between the two actors, too.

However, despite dubbing Patel her “soulmate”, Pinto announced that the couple had called time on their relationship in 2014, after six years together.

Now, in an interview with Weekend, the Rise of the Planet of the Apes actor has said that the break-up was nothing to do with falling out of love with one another.

It was, in fact, an act of “self-care”.

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Pinto said: “There comes a point where you’ve got everything you want – career, love, family – but you’ve ignored yourself. Life hits you and you think, ‘What about me? What do I really want?’

“For me it started at the age of 28, 29. Maybe it’s the body. Maybe it’s something about moving into womanhood from being a girl. You start asking, ‘What do I really want?'”

The 32-year-old went on to explain that this “quarter-life crisis” caused her to re-evaluate her life and her choices – and, in a bid to find self-fulfilment, she called time on her relationship with Patel.

“You can be with someone and it can be really good for your growth,” she said. “That’s what Dev was for me. The seven years I was with him were so impactful. But I ended up being single when I started thinking about these other things.”

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Pinto added that she absolutely does not regret her decision, saying: “For the first time, I finally understand the concept of self-love and self-care. I’m single, and happy, and busy. I haven’t been single for a long time.

“It’s like being born again.”

However, Pinto went on to say that she still shares a beautiful bond with Patel, and insisted that they will always remain close friends.

“You can’t share such a monumental shift in life, then not be friends,” she said. “That would be the saddest thing ever.”

Patel, similarly, has praised Pinto for making such an important mark on his life.

Speaking to The Guardian in 2015, the 26-year-old said: “We are incredibly close. She’s just a really generous, patient human being who has been one of the most impactful people on my life.

“A lot of my motivation has come from her, from being with her and knowing her.”

However, despite the interviewer probing for more information, Patel refused to reveal any further details about his former partner or their breakup.

“I’m sorry,” he said. “I can’t say.”

Images: Rex Features