Dev Patel voice coashing

Dev Patel has been sent on a crash course of voice coaching to help him speak English with an Indian accent.

The Slumdog Millionaire star will appear in The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, which also stars Judi Dench,Bill Nighy and Dame Maggie Smithas residents of an elderly nursing home in Bangalore.

“I had a 20-day session with him in Jaipur. He’s a focused actor and grasps lessons quickly,” said language and diction expert Vidur Chaturvedi.

Sources added that Patel’s girlfriend and Slumdog costar Frieda Pinto had turned up on set to help the 21-year old actor pick up the “desi” English accent.

The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, helmed by Shakespeare in Love director John Madden, is due for release later this year.

Dev recently admitted he’s a “scaredy-cat”.

“I’m not superstitious but I am a scaredy-cat in general,” he said.

“The last time I was frightened was when I saw a massive spider in the bathroom. I had to run out in my towel and scream for my dad.”