His has been a long and steady march from being the son of Bollywood's most celebrated actors to the teenage heartthrob of millions.

With rising fame for Abhishek Bachchan has, however, come the inevitable consequence of constant media speculation on his 'love life', something which invariably stems from his tag as Bollywood's 'most eligible bachelor'.

Though, personally, Abhishek would rather be known for his line of work rather than for his personal liaIsons, he neverthless is not uncomfortable with the constant media prying into his personal life considering it just an offshoot of being an actor.

''Having the tag of ‘most eligible bachelor' being attached to you is really embarrassing. I would much rather they call me a successful actor. I'm not complaining, as long as they look upon me favourably. But I would much rather that I'd be known for my work,''Abhishek told the TV channel in a tete-a-tete.

Asked if all the attention being paid to his ‘romantic life' made him somewhat uncomfortable, Abhishek, in an interview to Rajiv Masand in a special programme 'Rising Son' telecast yesterday, said,''not really.

It's part and parcel of your job. When you become an actor, you must know that you are a ‘public property'. That's fair enough, but what you make of your public image is up to you.

''I keep my private life private because I don't want people to know what pajamas I go to bed in, on what side of the bed I sleep, what I say to my dad or how I talk to my mother when I order my lunch.

We conduct our lives on a public stage but please I would request people to leave ‘this' bit to us so that we can keep our sanity. Am I uncomfortable? I would say no.

Because I know that an actor's life comes under immense scrutiny and observation. If you don't like it then you shouldn't become an actor. If you want to be there, then you must know how to deal with it.'' Abhishek said he was amused by all the stories in the media about, say, horoscopes being matched, his impending marriage and so on.

''It makes some very interesting reading. I am impressed with the people who write them. Their creativity and power of imagination is truly incredible. I am actually looking for all such people to hire them as scriptwriters. They are brilliant in what they do,'' he said in a humorous vein.

Referring in this context to stories about the so-called cold war between Shah Rukh Khan and Amitabh Bachchan and that the Big B had allegedly ‘forced' Karan (Johar) to add a song featuring Abhishek in 'Kabhi Alvida Na Kehna', the actor said,''first and foremost, my dad and I are not the kind of people who would do something like that.

Secondly, we are in no position to do that. Thirdly, it's sad that people who write such lies when witness that we all are together, must have been feeling very stupid and little.

Shah Rukh is very close to our family. He is somebody I have got to know through my father and mother. My mother is immensely close to him and he is a wonderful person.''