Actor Sidharth Malhotra says he can never stop being a fanboy when it comes to Bollywood icons Amitabh Bachchan and Shah Rukh Khan because of the “brilliant” and “inspiring” portfolio of work they have done.

Sidharth, who made his acting debut in Bollywood with Student Of The Year, spoke about it on Saavn’s entertainment-based audio show “Take 2 with Anupama and Rajeev”.

Talking about how Shah Rukh inspired him to become an actor, Sidharth said: “Well, it starts from him being from Delhi. All Delhi boys want to be heroes and Shah Rukh Khan is a major reason for that. I used to find him really funny and I still do. I think Shah Rukh is extremely good with comedy in the sense that a hero can do.”

At one point, Sidharth also had a hair parting like SRK like a “pure commercial Hindi film fan”.

Back then, when he was in awe of Shah Rukh, Sidharth never thought he will become an actor himself someday.

“I didn’t know what it takes to go on the other side and be in that screen. But I think there was so much admiration and so much concentration when I used to watch his scenes… I think there is a big impression of Shah Rukh Khan and his cinema on me,” added Sidharth, who has featured in movies like Hasee Toh Phasee, Ek Villain and Kapoor & Sons.

Even before he made his acting debut, Sidharth had come face-to-face with Shah Rukh when he worked as an assistant director on the superstar’s film My Name Is Khan.

“First thing I said to Shah Rukh was on the sets of ‘My Name is Khan’… I was very scared, I was very nervous to even walk upto him and chat. I think the first thing I said was ‘Sir, aap biscuit khayenge?’. He was waiting for this shot and we were in Los Angeles and I was the AD with the walkie in my ear waiting for him to tell when to go for that shot.

“We both were waiting and there was an awkward moment, no clue this big star is next to you. I said, ‘Sir aap biscuit khayenge?’ He looked at me, smiled and said ‘Nahi nahi’. He eventually realised I wanted to be an actor and started talking to me about different things.”

Sidharth recounted he was very nervous on first meeting Big B on the sets of Kaun Banega Crorepati during Student of the Year promotions.

“We met him backstage and he was very sweet to me. He shook my hand and patted me on the back. I am still a big Bachchan fan, even when I meet him now and have an immense amount of love for him. That fan boy in me for Shah Rukh or Bachchan will never die. They have done such brilliant work to inspire all of us,” he said.