Mumbai, Sep 21 (IANS): Actor Suniel Shetty has seen ups and downs in his showbiz career. He says failure has taught him a lot.

"When I started my career as an actor, I had no guidance from anyone. I have learnt everything from my failures. I was very happy when my first movie was successful. That success paired with my trained body allowed me to believe and dream that I would be the next Amitabh Bachchan in the industry. Unfortunately, it remained a distant dream," said Suniel, who made his Bollywood debut with the 1992 movie "Balwaan".

"Moreover, I received a lot of criticism from people who told me that I cannot act and should go back to being a hotelier. I am glad that I took their criticism positively, moved past that and focused on what audience wanted me to do," he added.

The actor has been roped in by Tata Sky Acting Adda for the show "Khel Khel Mein" to share his experience and learning with the budding actors participating on the show.

Further talking about his journey as an actor, Suniel said: "There was a phase when I cried for days and doubted my decision to be an actor when my films were not doing well.

"But soon I stood up and decided to do something that could set me apart. I decided to excel in what others didn't have, I focused on my actions and my fitness. I used to perform stunts that made me stand distinctly among my peers. My experience and my failure, both, have taught me to be a better performer and that is my journey so far," said the "Border" actor.