By Hindustan Times

New Delhi, Oct. 26 -- Post the debacle of Mani Ratnam's Raavan, actor Abhishek Bachchan turned into a recluse. He went off the social scene for a while, choosing to keep himself busy with other films. For Bachchan, the film's debacle was "devastating and painful".

"It destroyed me," he says.

"When you dedicate so much time and effort to a film, and then it doesn't do well, it upsets you. However, I respect the audience's judgment. But, the press still keeps throwing failures in our faces; even six months down the line. That's our life."

Bachchan admits, coping with the film's failure was not easy. "You have to get back on the saddle and keep riding. I had to dig very deep and find confidence to go back in front of the camera," he says. Did he change his strategy? "No, that decreases creativity."

Ever since actor Hrithik Roshan was finalised to play the lead in film-maker Karan Johar's remake of Agneepath, reports have been doing the rounds that Abhishek is miffed with KJo, since it was Abhi's father, Amitabh, who starred in the original flick. The actor, who will start shooting for Kohar's Dostana 2 in January, argues, "Do I look upset? I have never been spoken to for the film. But, I will never question Karan on what film he offers me to do or not. That's the faith I have in him. He is like my older brother; I have known him since I was a kid."

For now, Abhishek is looking forward to his forthcoming film, Ashutosh Gowariker's Khelein Hum Jee Jaan Se, in which he plays a freedom fighter.