Slumdog Millionaire stars Dev Patel and Freida Pinto did nothing to dispel rumours of their blossoming relationship at an outdoor screening of the Oscar-winning movie at Somerset House.

Happy couple: Dev Patel and Freida Pinto pose for the camera

The pair, who are rumoured to be a couple, arrived in the courtyard together and hugged as they posed for photographs in front of 2,000 fans.

Gallery: Slumdog screening at Somerset House

The event was part of this year's Film4 Summer Screen season. Slumdog Millionaire, which Film4 funded, was included in the line-up for this year's festival which featured the premiere last week of the latest Pedro Almodóvar film, Broken Embraces. The film stars Penelope Cruz and is her fourth collaboration with the veteran Spanish director.

David Cox, channel editor of Film4, said: “The event was absolutely fantastic. More than 2,000 people filled the courtyard. There was a massive ovation when the two stars of Slumdog came on.

“The reaction Dev and Freida got was just wonderful. The whole crowd seemed really excited, which is amazing for two new actors. Both of them seemed genuinely touched by the reception they got. Dev said that the night was a celebration of the film and said he felt incredibly lucky to have been a part of Slumdog Millionaire.”

Along with the editor, writer and producer of Slumdog Millionaire, the two stars stayed in the courtyard to watch the film with the rest of the crowd.

Rumours of a relationship between Patel and Pinto began shortly before Slumdog Millionaire swept the board at the Oscars in February. Pinto, 24, and Patel, 19, have denied they are an item, but co-star Anil Kapoor said: “When I meet them, I feel there is something happening,” adding that the couple shared “a magical chemistry”.

Pinto is in London working on a new Woody Allen film project also starring Anthony Hopkins, Josh Brolin and Naomi Watts.