Freida Pinto puts career before love

Freida Pinto won't put her relationship before her career.

The 26-year-old actress - who is in a relationship with her 'Slumdog Millionaire' co-star Dev Patel - admits it can be difficult trying to fit seeing each other around their filming commitments, but they would never turn down work to spend time together instead.

Asked if they have rules about seeing one another within a certain time period, Freida said: "We recently realised we need a rule like that, because every time we think we're going to be together, something work-related comes up.

"But we can't put our careers on hold for this. We're not at the stage where we have the privilege to turn things down. So we'll say, 'You have two days off? Let's find a way to meet up.' I think you can always make it work if you want to."

Freida also claimed maintaining a relationship in Hollywood is similar to a doctor carrying out an operation because it requires total dedication and ignoring distraction.

She added in an interview with America's Glamour magazine: "When a doctor is performing an operation, his mind cannot be somewhere else. And it's the same with actors. You have to commit yourself mind, body and soul to a project in order to do justice to it. And temptations are rife in this industry, which is why I think it's important to know yourself before you try to deal with a relationship."