Samantha Ruth Prabhu’s foray into the small screen in Citadel: Honey Bunny as a spy has received furious acclamation with the audience cherishing her hard-hitting action sequences alongside Varun Dhawan in the Prime Video series. But the process of acquiring her character was also not smooth. Varun Dhawan mentioned that during the shoot, Samantha was having a pretty challenging time because of her health. She deals with an autoimmune condition—myositis—one that causes inflammation in the muscles. At a certain stage, she too backed out of doing the character, suggesting the producers find someone else for the part. But Samantha was able to regain the courage to push through.
Samantha was pleasantly surprised when the Citadel team stepped in to support her. When asked why she wouldn’t budge, she refers back to her childhood and her upbringing - “I am very stubborn and once I decide something is done, there’s nothing that can be said to change my mind.” She went further and added, “I’ve always made my own choices, made mistakes, and learned. Perhaps that was okay for the normal me. But this time no, I couldn’t even think about going out of my house or holding a camera. I was sure there was no getting out.”
Self-confidence was another hurdle Samantha struggled with but thanks to her team’s perseverance she managed to overcome it and start believing in them. She stated, “They did something I have never experienced in my thirty-seven years.” In her words: “For the first time, I said ‘Okay, I don’t know what is best for me, but you people have faith in me. So, I’ll allow you to manage me.’” Her passion for meeting her team’s expectations was what motivated her the most in the end after she managed to push through her physical boundaries as well.
Samantha’s difficulties were visible to her co-star, Varun Dhawan, who acted alongside her in Citadel. He spoke about two particular difficult days during the shoot which had lasting effects on him. “Once, she turned her back to the camera and closed her eyes saying, ‘Today is just one of those days.’ Very,” he recalled. “She continued shooting and I know an oxygen tank was even brought to her. No, she didn’t have to, but yes, she did – that’s commitment!”
“Concerning another incapacitating moment, it was during the shooting in Serbia,” Varun describes another difficult barb. `We were shooting at a railway station and she had to run after me over the shoulder of the camera which is standard practice. She ran through the camera lens and instantly collapsed. I caught hold of her and at that time, I was very angry and furious. It was natural for me to wish they shut the cameras for the day, but she was very keen on going on.’
Varun praised Samantha’s stoicism. In fact, I would say she demonstrated the presence of a strong lady in the face of so many battles. Surely, according to reports, her determination encouraged every actor and actress while shooting the television show.
She guided us on going through life’s hardest moments in the most composed and brave manner.” The 2022 diagnosis of Myositis was a milestone in Samantha’s life, and it is indeed an abnormal medical condition as it pertains to the immune responses directed towards the musculature which mainly results in inflammation and acute pain. Despite getting that diagnosis, Samantha has shown determination towards her profession, thus encouraging her fans and co-workers. Citadel: Honey Bunny is an encouraging proof of her skills as well as her willful character.
