11 September,2026 02:26 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
Samantha Ruth Prabhi (Picture via Instagram)
Samantha Ruth Prabhu has opened up about one of the most difficult phases of her life, revealing how her myositis diagnosis affected not just her health but also her sense of identity. The actor admitted that dealing with the autoimmune condition left her feeling as though she had no control over her own life.
In a candid conversation with The Hollywood Reporter, Samantha recalled the emotional turmoil she experienced after being diagnosed with myositis in 2022. While the actor has often spoken about her physical struggles, she revealed that the illness also took a toll on her confidence and self-esteem. The experience, she said, made her question her identity and left her struggling to come to terms with a reality she could not control.
Samantha described the period as one where she constantly wondered, "Why me?" The diagnosis forced her to confront vulnerabilities that she had not previously experienced. For someone who had spent years in the public eye, being unable to function or work the way she wanted proved particularly challenging.
The actor has previously revealed that her health battle led her to step away from acting for an extended period. During the break, she explored other avenues and even turned her attention towards entrepreneurship. She eventually returned to acting after filmmaker Raj Nidimoru encouraged her to take up a new project.
Looking back, Samantha said the difficult phase ultimately taught her resilience. Rather than allowing the illness to define her, she began rebuilding her life and reassessing what mattered to her. Her experience, she suggested, changed her relationship with herself and helped her understand that her identity extended beyond her career.
The actor's candid admission comes at a time when she is entering a new chapter professionally and personally. After a prolonged hiatus, Samantha has returned to the screen, with her comeback marking another significant step in her journey.
Her reflections offer a glimpse into the emotional side of living with a chronic health condition something that often remains hidden behind the glamour associated with a celebrity's public life. For Samantha, the diagnosis was not only a physical battle but also a period of questioning, loss and eventual rebuilding.
Despite the setbacks, she now looks at the experience as one that strengthened her. What began with uncertainty and a feeling of having no control eventually became a lesson in resilience, allowing her to rediscover herself beyond the illness. Samantha is now in a beautiful phase of her life with pregnancy.