Indian actress Freida Pinto says boyfriend Dev Patel is the only person who understands her.

The 27-year-old, who has been dating her 'Slumdog Millionaire' co-star since 2007, thinks because they have shared so much together he is the only person who knows how to uplift her mood, reported Contactmusic.

"We have shared so much together; and he is always the person I go to first. When you've shared something like that, you have no-one else to go to but that person who completely understands.

"So if I have a complete downer, he knows exactly how to uplift my moods and I can do the same for him. It actually helps a lot having gone through the same experience, when that experience is so unique," Pinto said.

The actress is six years older than Patel but insists he is the mature person in their relationship.

"Some people don't actually know that he's six years younger than I am! He's too mature. I keep telling him, 'Stop being an old man!' He's just an old soul.

"The way he speaks and thinks - he's so philosophical and deep. I'm like, 'You don't sound like a 21-year-old to me!' At least that's not how I was when I was 21," Pinto said.