Popular actor Samantha made her debut in the iconic talk show Koffee With Karan, hosted by Bollywood filmmaker Karan Johar, on Thursday, July 21. She appeared on the episode, which is streaming on Disney Plus Hotstar, with actor Akshay Kumar. On the show, Samantha opened up about her take on pan-Indian stars, her career, her recent separation from ex-husband actor Naga Chaitanya and more.
Karan Johar cited a survey held by Ormax Media which ranks actors based on their popularity. Samantha had topped the list of popular female actors, while Akshay was placed at the fifth rank in the list. He was also the only Bollywood actor in the list. Samantha jokingly said that she is paying someone from the agency to reserve the number one spot for her. Karan then turned the spotlight on Akshay and asked him why other Bollywood actors have not featured in the list. Sharing his thoughts, Akshay said that they are not willing to share the screen with other heroes and feature in multi-starrer flicks. He added that he is currently co-producing a two-hero film along with Karan Johar and is unable to find an actor who is interested in sharing the screen with another lead actor.
Speaking on similar lines, Samantha observed that a similar perception about female actors teaming up for a movie has existed for a long time. However, she noted that she had a fun time working with Nayanthara in Kaathuvaakula Rendu Kaadhal, who is one of the most popular actors in south India.
Samantha opened up about her career choices in recent times and revealed why she said yes to star in the popular dance number ‘Oo Antava’ from Pushpa and her role as Raji, a highly skilled rebel operative in the web series The Family Man 2. Quizzing the actor about ‘Oo Antava’, Karan said, “Was it a brave decision that you go and do a song like Oo Antava literally two weeks before Pushpa saw the theatrical release? Was that a rebellious move? Was that a strategic move?” Or was that something you just felt "F*** it, I'll do it?.”
In response, Samantha said, "The third, f*** it, I’ll do it. I mean why not? I loved the song. It was a satire on the male gaze. I know I got a lot of criticism about pandering to the male gaze while making a satire on the male gaze. My logic was who else can do a satire a male gaze except for the nautch girl I was playing in the song, or an actor who has a wide experience or wide range of the male gaze? Only a nautch girl or me can satirise the male gaze."
During the episode, Karan asked her about the reason behind taking up the role of Raji in the second season of webs series The Family Man, and whether it was because she already knew Raj and DK. She replied, “No, I didn't know Raj & DK at all and even Family Man season 1 hadn't been released when I started shooting for season 2." She further explained, “So it was just this cry for a challenge because you know you get typecast with the roles that you are offered in the south, not because of any fault of theirs but directors saw me a certain way the bubbly cute, love interest and I was feeling stifled and I really wanted to breakthrough and here there was an opportunity to look at myself through another lens and I grabbed it... It was divine intervention”
When Karan Johar questioned Samantha about her separation from ex-husband Naga Chaitanya and the trolling she was subjected to on social media, the Oh! Baby actor replied, “I couldn't really complain about it because I chose that path, I chose to be transparent and I chose to reveal a lot of my life. And, when the separation happened, I couldn't be too upset about it because they invested in my life and it was my responsibility to have answers which I didn't at that point of time. I think I came out of it okay, better than okay."
She added that she is “stronger than she has ever been”. But when asked about whether there are hard feelings between the two of them, Samantha said, “Are there hard feelings like if you put us both in a room, you have to hide sharp objects? As of now, yes.”
“So it’s not an amicable situation right now?," Karan Johar questioned, to which Samantha replied, “Not right now, but maybe sometime in the future."
On the professional front, Samantha Ruth Prabhu will be working with Downton Abbey director Philip John in a project titled Arrangements Of Love. Samantha will likely play the role of a bisexual character, who runs her own detective agency. She was also recently seen in Vignesh Shivan’s romantic drama Kaathuvaakula Rendu Kaadhal that co-starred actors Vijay Sethupathi and Nayanthara in the lead.