Samantha confronts judgment over struggles: It’s all been very public

Actress Samantha Ruth Prabhu recently opened up about the challenges she has faced in her personal life, acknowledging how her journey has often played out under public scrutiny.

Reflecting on her separation and health struggles, the ‘Kushi’ actress admitted that “everything has been very, very public,” adding that she is often judged and trolled for showing vulnerability. Speaking at the recent NDTV World Summit 2025, Samantha shared, “Anyone who has followed my journey is aware of the personal struggles... My separation, illness, everything has been very, very public. You are constantly judged for being vulnerable, you’re constantly trolled for being vulnerable.”

During the session, Samantha Ruth Prabhu opened up about various aspects of her life, from personal battles to professional choices. The actress also spoke about her viral performance in the “Pushpa: The Rise” chartbuster Oo Antava, which became a sensation. Reflecting on it, Samantha revealed, “I did Oo Antava to see if I could. It was a challenge that I gave myself. I never considered myself sexy. No one was ever going to give me a ‘bold role’. It was a one-time thing,” says actor Samantha Ruth Prabhu on performing the popular Telugu song Oo Antava with Allu Arjun in Pushpa: The Rise.”

Prabhu also talked about her ambitions and the importance of purposeful growth. The actress, who has often spoken candidly about her journey in the film industry, shared her thoughts on how ambition must be guided by intent and the right mentorship. “I’m very ambitious. Ambition should not just run wild, it should come with some purpose. It is important for youth today to select their mentors very carefully... I selected my mentors very carefully who changed the trajectory of my life. That is the reason more people in higher positions must also be very responsible,” she mentioned.

On the work front, Samantha was most recently seen in the web series “Citadel: Honey Bunny,” which was released in 2024.

Samantha Ruth Prabhu is an Indian actress who works predominantly in Telugu and Tamil films. One of South India’s highest-paid actresses, Samantha is the recipient of several accolades, including four Filmfare Awards South, two Nandi Awards and a Tamil Nadu State Film Award.

After a brief stint as a model while pursuing a degree in commerce, Samantha made her acting debut in the Telugu romance film Ye Maaya Chesave (2010), winning the Filmfare Award for Best Female Debut — South. She became the second actress to win both the Filmfare Award for Best Actress — Tamil and Best Actress — Telugu in the same year, for her performances in the 2012 films Neethaane En Ponvasantham and Eega, respectively. Over the next few years, she played the leading lady in top-grossing androcentric films such as Dookudu (2011), Seethamma Vakitlo Sirimalle Chettu (2012), Attarintiki Daredi (2013), Kaththi (2014), Theri (2016), 24 (2016), Mersal (2017), and Rangasthalam (2018).

Agencies