Freida Pinto and Dev Patel a couple, says Patel's mom

Dev Patel’s mother, Anita Patel, has confirmed that her son and his Slumdog Millionaire co-star Freida Pinto are an item.“Freida is really beautiful and I am really happy for them," said Anita, who added, "Yes, we knew he was flying to Israel to see her.”Pinto, 24, and Patel, 19, were recently spotted on an intimate lunch date in Israel where Pinto is on location for the French-Israeli co-production, Miral.“They looked very happy together and they didn’t seem to care who saw them,” said a onlooker. “ Dev couldn’t take his eyes off her and she couldn’t help cuddling up to him.“They kept staring into each other's eyes. They were certainly acting like a couple, despite what they have both said. When they left the bar they split up and tried to act like they weren't together.”Patel is currently filming for M. Night Shyamalan’s The Last Airbender, a family fantasy adventure.Freida will next film for Woody Allen helmed untitled project headlining Anthony Hopkins, Nicole Kidman, Josh Brolin and Naomi Watts.