Dev Patel had to consume ''12 energy drinks a day'' while on the set of 'Best Exotic Marigold Hotel'.

The British actor stars alongside legends including Dame Judi Dench, Tom Wilkinson and Bill Nighy in the movie about a group of retirees who head to a recently done-up hotel in India, and he admits he struggled to keep up with the pace while filming.

He told BANG Showbiz: ''My energy had to be off the scale always, which is hard in that heat. I often got put to shame by The Others in the movie. I was drinking like, 12 energy drinks a day just to keep it up, take after take. John the director just wanted more and more.

''I wish I had a tranquiliser on some scenes now!''

However the 21-year-old star's biggest worry was that his co-stars would think he was a ''crap'' actor.

He joked: ''The week before I got cast was the most terrifying experience of my life because like, I just thought they were going to see right through me. These guys have done so much work, their resumes are just solid. I thought they would see right through me and they'd just know I'm crap! And I got to set and I couldn't have been more wrong.''

'Best Exotic Marigold Hotel' will be released in the UK on Friday (24.02.12).