Samantha Opens Up on Film Industry and Myositis: ‘I’m the Happiest I’ve Ever Been’

“I am the happiest I have ever been,” actor-producer Samantha Ruth Prabhu said while speaking at the India Management Association’s 52nd National Management Convention in Delhi.

Reflecting on how her personality has evolved over the past year, she noted that she has transformed from someone fragile to a person who understands her own worth. She spoke candidly about her her struggles with myositis, an autoimmune disorder, well-being and her changing perspective on the film industry.

Samantha emphasized that she is no longer part of the rat race to be the top star. “The previous version of me probably had five films releasing in a year because that was the symbol of a successful actor… you needed to have five films, a big blockbuster, be on the Top 10 actors’ list. That was needed to endorse the biggest multinational brands. Today, I haven’t had a film release in two years, I’m not on any lists. I don’t have a 1000-crore film, but I am the happiest I have ever been.”

Revealing that her former self frightened her, she said, “I was so fragile. Every Friday would give me anxiety that someone would claim my position tomorrow, that I would be replaced. My whole self-worth was based on the calculator of that Friday.”

Acknowledging that many of her followers are drawn to her glamor and films, the 38-year-old explained that she launched her podcast to provide insights on health. “God forbid they need it one day, they will know where to go for it,” she said.

Reflecting on her investments in wellness, Samantha shared that her aim was to avoid the state of helplessness she once experienced. “I do not wish it on anyone else,” she added.

She attributed her shift in mindset to small, consistent changes, particularly maintaining a gratitude journal. “Keeping a gratitude journal for one year changed my whole personality. I went from someone always expecting things to go wrong, always fearing I would mess up… if there was success, I’d forget it the next day, but failure would linger. A year later, my whole attitude towards failure and setbacks has changed.”

Samantha was last seen in a cameo in Shubham, her production debut. She has recently been in the news for her rumored relationship with The Family Man director Raj Nidimoru. The actress will next appear in the Hindi web series Rakt Brahmand: The Bloody Kingdom and the Telugu action thriller Maa Inti Bangaram.