This superstar actress once had no money for food or education and had to do odd jobs to survive
For years, the highest-paid and biggest actresses of India were always those who worked in the Hindi film industry. Bollywood heroines routinely took the biggest and fattest paychecks and commanded legions of fans. It has only been in the last few years that actresses from the Tamil and Telugu film industries have rubbed shoulders with their Bollywood counterparts. Among them is one name who is among the most popular and highest-paid stars, but one whose road to success was quite tough.
The south superstar who charges Rs 1 crore per minute
Samantha Ruth Prabhu is among the most successful and recognisable actresses from the south currently. The actress did several hit films in both Tamil and Telugu in a career that has stretched over a decade. But it was in her appearance in an item song in Pushpa The Rise that made her a pan-India star. Incidentally, for her appearance in the song Oo Antava, Samantha earned Rs 5 crore for a 5-minute appearance.
Samantha Ruth Prabhu’s tough early days
Samantha was born to Joseph and Ninette Prabhu in Chennai in 1987. In 2022, while interacting with students at a university, the actress recalled how her parents did not have money for her higher education. “When I was studying, my mom and dad told me to study hard, and you will make it big. I studied hard. I topped 10th standard, 12th standard, and college. But then, when I wanted to study further, my parents could not afford it. I had no dreams, no future, nothing,” News 18 quoted her as saying. The actress had also revealed that often, she did not even have money for food. “I ate one meal a day for at least two months. I worked odd jobs. And I’m here today,” she added.
Samantha Ruth Prabhu’s illness and failed marriage
In 2012, Samantha saw an extended period of illness, which forced her to give up two major projects. It was later revealed to be an immunity disorder. The illness resurfaced in 2022 and Samantha revealed it was called myositis, for which she underwent extensive treatment. The actress said that while the illness was manageable, it could be life-threatening in some cases as well.
In 2010, Samantha began dating her Ye Maaya Chesave co-star Naga Chaitanya. They tied the knot in October 2017 but their marriage lasted less than four years. Samantha began using Chaitanya’s Akkineni surname in 2017 but sparked separation rumours when she removed it from her social media accounts in July 2021. The couple announced their separation and eventual divorce in October the same year. In a subsequent interview with Harper’s Bazaar, she later said, “"When I hit an all-time low of, well, a failed marriage, and my health and work were getting affected, it was like a triple whammy; boom, boom, boom. You know, people go down for far less than what I endured for the last two years or so.”
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