‘I didn’t have a luxurious childhood’

Samantha Ruth Prabhu recently opened up about how success has been her focus since childhood, as she didn’t experience a luxurious upbringing.

The actor discussed this topic on her podcast ‘Take 20’, where she aims to assist people by sharing her experiences, helping them relate, understand and seek help when needed. In one episode, she explored the human body’s fight or flight response in certain situations alongside wellness coach and nutritionist Alkesh Sharotri.

“I used to believe that exhaustion and the need for rest were signs of weakness. I was proud of being a hustler, thriving on only six hours of sleep and being exceptionally productive throughout the day. Despite feeling exhausted, I refused to acknowledge it and worked tirelessly without a break for 13 years,” said the actor, who has been diagnosed with an autoimmune condition called myositis.

She added, “Growing up, I didn’t have a luxurious childhood, so success was my focus from an early age. I always felt intense pressure to ‘make it’ in life. Constantly fed with the notion that I wasn’t good enough, so that became an intense motivation for me to succeed at any cost.”

Samantha, who captivated the nation with her sizzling performance in the song ‘Oo Antava’ from ‘Pushpa: The Rise’, said that people often perceive ‘acting as glamorous, which it is, but that’s not the entire reality’.

“It is a lot of hard work and pressure, especially when you’re constantly in the spotlight and being judged. I started in this industry when I was just 23 years old and some girls start even younger. We don’t come into this knowing everything. We let others dictate and define us,” she said.

Reflecting on her own journey, Samantha said, “I’ve been letting others define me since childhood, creating a pattern where I worked tirelessly to please and seek approval from others. My thoughts, feelings and desires became insignificant.”