'I was scared to hit Shah Rukh'

'I thought I was the action hero, but Shah Rukh is the number one action hero of the country today.'

John Abraham, who plays the villain in the blockbuster hit Pathaan, couldn't stop grinning at the lead actors and director's first media interaction.

He tells us the reason: "Pathaan is going to be his biggest hit for a long time."

"I thought I was the action hero, but Shah Rukh is the number one action hero of the country today," John says, as the crowd cheers.

"I'm actually surprised why he didn't become an action star before. He is so confident and flexible," John says. "(During the shoot) I was scared to hit him. He's the national treasure!"

The two actors may have been dead against each other in the film, but in real life, they are buddies.

"I got to work with Shah Rukh for the first time. I don't think he is an actor anymore; he is an emotion. Maybe that is why I nearly went to kiss him in a lot of scenes!" John says with a laugh.

Shah Rukh reveals that John is a "very, very old friend" and they got to know each other when he came to Mumbai. But they did not get a chance to work together until Pathaan happened.

"We had only worked together on endorsements. I realised to work with John, I had to build my body," SRK acknowledges.

SRK heaped praise on his co-star, calling him the "backbone" of Pathaan and saying that John was very gentle during the action scenes.

Shah Rukh discusses the action sequences in Pathaan and gets a hug from John!

Pathaan marks John Abraham's third collaboration with Yash Raj Films after 2004's Dhoom and 2009's New York. All three films have been game-changers in the actor's career.

"I would like to thank (Yash Raj Films head) Aditya Chopra for the way he has positioned me in Dhoom, New York and Pathaan. And my director, Sid, you are the hero of the film," John said expressing his gratitude to Director Siddharth Anand.

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