At the NDTV World Summit 2025 session "Authenticity: The New Fame," Samantha Ruth Prabhu opened up about the choices that shaped her journey, including her decision to take on the now-iconic dance number Oo Antava in Allu Arjun's Pushpa: The Rise.
Speaking about reconciling fame, responsibility, and authenticity, the actor said her choices often stem from curiosity and self-challenge rather than image-making.
She said, "I want to do films that add a layer to me as an actor - those films don't come very often. I went searching for the role of Raji - it was completely different from anything I had ever done. I did Oo Antava to see if I could. It was a challenge I gave myself."
"I Never Considered Myself Sexy"
Samantha said that her decision to take up Oo Antava was personal, not strategic. She added that it was a way to test her boundaries.
"I never considered myself sexy, and no one was ever giving me a 'bold role', so it was a one-time thing. I did Oo Antava because I wanted to see if I could," the actress shared.
"Fame, Wealth, Applause: I Didn't Know What to Do With It"
Samantha Ruth Prabhu also reflected on the period in her life when success felt overwhelming.
She shared, "I had nothing; I came from a humble background. My family struggled to put food on the table. There was name, fame, wealth, applause - I didn't know what to do with it."
That confusion, she said, eventually led her toward redefining what success meant to her, adding, "That kind of success should have made me feel at the top of the world, but it didn't. By using that visibility to create value - that was when I realised that I found my purpose. What you do with that platform is what matters."
"Meditation Grounds Me"
After years in the spotlight and public scrutiny over her personal life, Samantha said she has learned to centre herself through discipline and mindfulness.
She said, "Meditation has become a non-negotiable for me, and I find it grounds me."
