He has never been one to crave attention as his two-decade long career did most of the talking, but Akshaye Khanna believes acting is a profession where it eventually gets difficult to deal with the feeling of being loved less.
The 42-year-old star says at the end of the day every artiste wants his work to be appreciated.
"Deep down that's all you really want, he tells PTI. "You may not like or be comfortable with certain forms of appreciation or love, but you do want it.
"…And once that starts slipping away appreciation, work, love, attention that's a terrible feeling. As much as I say I am uncomfortable with too much attention, but in essence that's what I, every artiste works for."
Akshaye has entertained the audience with films like "Border", "Taal", "Dil Chahta Hau", "Humraaz" and "Hulchul" before going on a four-year sabbatical from acting.
He marked his return to big screen as an antagonist in the action-comedy "Dishoom" and now has two projects lined up for this year release.
When asked if he ever feels the fear of being forgotten, Akshaye says, "countless days".
"'Why is the feeling of insecurity so prevalent in this field?' Because the actor is such a dependent person on other people. If I am a painter, poet, composer, I am not really dependent on others.
"While the profession of acting or being an actor is leaving your entire career open to people and the material you get from the outside world. It's got nothing to do with you."
Akshaye says an actor is constantly in search of talented people, be it a writer or a director or a co-star, as these people eventually help enhance his performance on screen.
"The insecurity here (for an actor) is that I can only perform, excel and work if work is given to me. That is the essence of the insecurity because you are so dependent on others. Therefore, for an actor the entire quest, from morning to night, years and decades, is to surround himself from the best talents he can find.
"This process goes on everyday, relentlessly, till the day your career ends."
The actor says though the search for talented people is often "emotionally exhausting", the quest never ends as filmmaking is a team work and the aim is to get the right people on board.
Akshaye will next be seen in Ravi Udyawar's "Mom" and Abhay Chopra's "Ittefaq".
The actors considers himself lucky to be working with new directors who he believes will have a great future.
"I've never done back to back movies with new directors.
But I've been so fortunate because both Ravi and Abhay have proven to be exceptionally good.
"I can honestly say there are going to be good additions in the directorial space in the Hindi film industry.
But I was so glad to work with both of them. I was really lucky."
"Mom", which stars Sridevi and Nawazuddin Siddiqui, is scheduled to release on July 7.