After a decent, though unsung, performance in friend Vikram Bhatt's "Ankahee", Aftab Shivdasani seems to have vanished.

"That is because I was away on a family vacation. I was in New York with my sister and brother-in-law for two weeks. They are on the verge of relocating to Britain. I had gone with my mother to basically be with my sister. And I had a whale of a time," Aftab told IANS.

Wasn't the unceremonious "Ankahee" crumble a dampener?

"Not at all! I enjoyed myself thoroughly. I admit I'd have enjoyed my holiday more if I had gone with a hit to my credit. But these things cannot be controlled. And you cannot let success or failure control your moods.

"When I had seen 'Ankahee' before release, I was overwhelmed. But I was prepared for it to go either way. It wasn't a run-of-the-mill film. Earlier, I had banked heavily on 'Shukriya'. After it flopped, I decided I'd never bank on a film."

Aftab admits the fact that he didn't dub for "Ankahee" took away from his performance.

"Vikram and I had major arguments about this. But I finally relented. He wanted my character to speak in his (Vikram's) voice, and I went with the director's decision as I generally tend to, especially if the director happens to be a close friend like Vikram.

"'Ankahee is my second film with Vikram after 'Kasoor' where too he dubbed for me. But now I promise you, I'll never allow anyone else to dub my lines.

"In 'Red' my next film, again with Vikram, I'll dub for myself even if I've to fight with Vikram to do so. And by the way in my next release 'Darwaza Bandh Rakho' I've dubbed my lines better and more confidently than ever before thanks to what happened in Ankahee."

At the moment, Aftab is banking completely on Bhatt's "Red".

"It is the only film I have chosen to do. I can't accept the comedies and mundane multi-starrers that come my way. And, no, the fact that my last film with Vikram hasn't worked doesn't take away from my excitement about 'Red'. It's a much less dark film than 'Ankahee', a romantic thriller where I play a guy who undergoes a heart transplant."

Surely a new one for a leading man in Bollywood!

"You bet! I'd rather do one film that allows me to spread my wings as an actor than five which expect me to repeat myself."