Don't like portraying myself on screen: Neil Nitin Mukesh

In his nine-year journey in Bollywood, Neil Nitin Mukesh, who is popular for his charming looks and disarming smile, has mostly essayed characters with shades. The actor feels that he undergoes major learning process while portraying negative characters.

Asked what attracts him towards negative characters, Neil told IANS: "I think there is flip to every person...There is always that alternate characteristic about a person that he is hiding within himself and what I am in person...I don't like portraying myself on screen because its the easiest thing to do...So, that challenges me as an actor."

"When I do that, I go through a lot of learning process," added Neil.

The 34-year-old actor shared that when he ventured into tinsel town, many told him to make his debut with a "love story".

"I chose 'Johnny Gaddar' because first of all everyone doubted that I could be an actor. Every one thought that Mukesh's grandson, Nitin Mukesh's son should be a singer. So, just to prove them wrong because what I believed in, not just being rebellious, I wanted to prove them wrong," he said.

The "Prem Ratan Dhan Payo" star says portraying negative roles challenges him and "sharpens my axe slightly more".

"They are multi-layered, there are so many nuances, there are so many details into these characters that you get to study and understand. And every time you portray a gray shade or any character ...it's just another layer that comes up. So it's a learning process," added Neil.