Samantha Ruth Prabhu says she was forced to share her Myositis diagnosis: ‘I was called sympathy queen by the public’ | Hindi Movie News – Times of India

In 2022, Samantha Ruth Prabhu revealed that she had been diagnosed with an autoimmune condition called Myositis. This revelation led her to take a hiatus from the film industry to prioritize her health. However, Samantha recently disclosed that she felt compelled to share her diagnosis with the world due to the impending release of her female-centric film at the time.
At the India Today Conclave 2024, Samantha explained, “I was forced to go public about my disorder. At that time, I had my female-centric film due for release. I was very sick back then. It was hard and I wasn’t ready. There were all sorts of speculation going around and misinformation being spread. The producers needed me to promote it, otherwise, it (the film) would just die.”
The actress further shared that she agreed to do one interview while undergoing high doses of medication to manage her condition. Despite facing criticism and being labeled as the sympathy queen by the public, Samantha remained resilient.

Samantha Ruth Prabhu on her hiatus due to myositis: I’ve had my fair share of self-loathing and really low confidence

“Given a choice, I wouldn’t have come out and announced it. I was called sympathy queen by the public. My journey as an actor, as a human being, I have evolved so much. Early on in my career, I was anxious and go up (online) looking for nasty articles and what was being written about me,” she said.
Samantha also shared that public scrutiny impacted her mental health, admitting that the constant accusations made her question herself. However, she found strength, emerged stronger and learned to prioritize her well-being over external opinions.

“They have forced me to become the person that I can be proud of. When people are going through a lot of pain, they need a portal to project it. And social media is that portal I guess. I do really think that,” she concluded.
Currently on a break from work, Samantha’s next project is the Indian adaptation of the global series Citadel, where she will star alongside Varun Dhawan in a leading role.