'Pushpa 2' star Allu Arjun calls Amitabh an inspiration; Big B says he's humbled

New Delhi: Amitabh Bachchan on Monday expressed gratitude to Allu Arjun after the Pushpa 2: The Rule star described himself as an "ardent fan" of the megastar who is a source of inspiration for actors like him.

At an event last week, Arjun, 42, was asked which Hindi cinema actor inspires him the most.

In his response, the actor heaped praises on Bachchan, saying the cinema veteran had "a great impact on us in our growing years".

On Monday, Bachchan, 82, retweeted a video from the event and also wished Arjun lots of success.

"#AlluArjun ji .. so humbled by your gracious words .. you give me more than I deserve .. we are all such huge fans of your work and talent .. may you continue to inspire us all .. my prayers and wishes for your continued success!" he wrote on X.

At the event, Arjun -- whose latest film Pushpa 2 released on December 5 -- said he admires Bachchan for his "long" career span.

"Amitabh ji inspires me the most... I absolutely adore the megastar of the country, Amitabh ji because we have grown up watching his films. He had a great impact on us in our growing years.

"I'm an ardent fan of Amitabh ji. Even till date, at this age too... I keep thinking, even if I get really old, I should still be acting like how gracefully Amitabh ji is doing it. I keep thinking, if you're 60 or 80, you should work as beautifully as Amitabh ji does," the actor said, according to the video circulating on social media.

On Sunday, production house Mythri Movie Makers said Pushpa 2 earned Rs 621 crore gross within three days of its release. The Telugu film also stars Rashmika Mandanna and Fahadh Faasil.