Hyderabad: Samantha Ruth Prabhu’s journey through her battle with myositis has been nothing short of inspiring. Diagnosed in 2022, the actor faced immense challenges, especially while working on the highly anticipated Amazon Prime Video series, Citadel: Honey Bunny and Kushi. As the production approached, Samantha found herself grappling with her health, even suggesting to the team that they should find her replacement.
In a recent promotional interview, Samantha opened up about that difficult period. "I actually begged them to move on because I really didn’t think that I could do it. I was very sure that I couldn’t do it. I was even sharing options with them. I was like, ‘Look at this heroine, she is so amazing.’ I sent like four options and said, ‘She will kill it, please let me be, I can’t do it.’ I was really not well," she recalled.
Despite her insistence to step aside, the team chose to support her. "Now that I think of it, and now that I am watching this, I am just so glad they didn’t replace me. I am so glad I found the strength to think, ‘I can do this,’" she expressed with gratitude.
Raj, one of the creators of the series, acknowledged the difficult decisions they faced. "We have to give credit to Varun (Dahwan) and everyone else for this because we had crafted a character. We knew her skill set from Family Man 2. It was the right balance for Samantha to do, but she wasn’t well and needed more time," he noted.
Varun added a candid insight into the situation, saying, "I will tell you this, because I don’t keep secrets. A lot of people did want to do her role." Raj further elaborated, "Of course, it was very practical. Practically speaking, we had to consider casting another person."
Reflecting on the near-replacement of Samantha, Varun mentioned the tension within the team. "Yes, we had reached that point. I remember this discussion. It was almost a breakdown because we had decided to approach production about possibly pushing ahead, and nobody knew for how long. Since Sam was so locked in everyone’s vision—especially the directors, who have worked with her before—it was hard to think of anyone else because everyone fell short in comparison."
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