Samantha is embracing a season of new beginnings after a transformative chapter in her life. Diagnosed with myositis in 2022, the autoimmune condition compelled the actress to slow down, reassess her priorities and rebuild both personally and professionally. Fresh off the release of Maa Inti Bangaram, which marks her return to the big screen after a three-year hiatus, Samantha reflects on living with myositis, the lessons it taught her and a new personal milestone — expecting her first child with filmmaker husband Raj Nidimoru.‘There is this tiny fear about not having enough energy to make it through the day’ Samantha says life after myositis has fundamentally altered her relationship with work and with her own body. “Everyday I wake up and pray that there is no trigger and that I have the energy and strength to shoot through the day. There is this tiny fear about not having enough energy to make it through the day. When I was first offered Maa Inti Bangaram, I was petrified. I didn’t know if I would be able to do it or if my body would allow it. When you have certain restrictions and constraints, you make the most of every single day.” Crediting Raj for the film’s success, she adds, “If today this is being called my film, it is because Raj crafted and created the story to fit my strengths and help me shine.”‘This is a really great phase of my life’While she is high on the success of her recent release, what is occupying her mind space now is her pregnancy. She confirms that she is preparing to step away from work for a while. “This is a really great phase of my life and I’m looking forward to a maternity break.” She adds, “While I might not be seen on screen for a while, I have many films to produce and other businesses that I need to take care of. So in that sense, I’m not entirely taking a break from work.”‘You can be on top of the world one day & down the next’In a recent interview, Samantha also reflected on how fame and success once changed her, admitting that she had become “egoistic” at a certain point in her career. Her battle with myositis and the forced pause that followed, helped her get a fresh perspective. “In this industry, you can be down in the dumps one day and on top of the world another day. So it is very important to remember the days — the good days and the dark days — while you bask in this success. Remember how hard it has been to get there and remember it can also go all away one Friday. For me, the success and validation that has come with this film has given me renewed strength to keep going forward.”
