Actor Mahesh Babu, who has the practice of appreciating films he admires, took to Twitter to praise the latest Telugu film, Pushpa: The Rise. "Allu Arjun as Pushpa is stunning, original and sensational… a stellar act. Sukumar proves again that his cinema is raw, rustic, and brutally honest... a class apart," the Maharshi-actor wrote.

He went on to add, "Devi Sri Prasad, what can I say... you're a rockstar! Congrats to the entire team of Mythri Movie Makers. Proud of you guys!"

In a heartfelt reply to Mahesh's tweet, Allu Arjun wrote, "Thank you very much Mahesh Babu garu. So glad u liked the performance, everyone’s work, and the world of Pushpa. Heart-warming compliment. Humbled."

Incidentally, Mahesh Babu's 2015 film, Srimanthudu marked the foray of the production house into films. The actor has also worked with Sukumar in 1: Nenokkadine. 

Pushpa: The Rise, the first of a planned duology, opened to positive reactions on December 17 and went on to hit a jackpot at the box office. The film also featured Rashmila Mandanna, Sunil, Fahadh Faasil, Dhananjayan, and Anasuya Bharadwaj in prominent roles, and all of them are expected to return to the sequel.

An official announcement on the second part is awaited.