Bollywood hero Bobby Deol says men have an emotional side too, but are conditioned not to show it.

However, he cannot be counted among men who mask their emotions.

"Men get embarrassed to cry, thinking it's not manly,'' Deol told Mumbai-based newspaper in an interview published on Tuesday.

"But we can't hide our emotions. We can't live (behind) a facade.''

Deol's voice choked and tears ran down his face when he spoke about how much his father Dharmendra meant to him during a recent Bollywood awards ceremony in Yorkshire where the veteran actor received a lifetime achievement award.

Deol has acted in some 20 Hindi-language movies. His most recent film was "Jhoom Barabar Jhoom,'' or "Swaying to Music,'' a story about a man and woman who are engaged to other people, but fall in love with each other.

His family is well known in India's movie business. Apart from father Dharmendra, his elder brother Sunny Deol stars in action and romantic movies, their stepmother Hema Malini is a famous Bollywood actress and stepsister Esha Deol also acts.

Deol said being a star son had a downside. "It's difficult because audiences put a star son up there. So it's easier for them to fall than climb up.''

Still, he does not regret his lineage and is very close to his father.

"...I have no complaints. I'm blessed to have such a father,'' Deol told the newspaper. "He's all heart.''