Samantha Ruth Prabhu believes that as an actor, she carries a significant responsibility to portray women in a realistic and empowering light. Speaking at Business Today’s Most Powerful Women in Business 2024 event in Mumbai, she discussed her conscious effort to choose roles that offer a “fair representation” of women in society, deliberately avoiding what she refers to as “flower-pot roles,” where female characters serve little purpose beyond supporting the male lead.

Samantha shared her concerns about the portrayal of women in films, noting that often, female characters are defined by their relationships to male protagonists rather than their own journeys. “The roles of women in films are often shaped by the male actor, not by the woman’s own experiences, strengths, and weaknesses,” she said. This misrepresentation, she believes, does not reflect the true diversity and depth of women’s lives.

For Samantha, authenticity is key. She emphasized that her choices, both in roles and in the brands she associates with, must align with her true self. “People are looking for authenticity, and it needs to be reflected in everything I do,” she explained. Her commitment to portraying women more honestly is evident in her recent role in “Citadel: Honey Bunny”, where she plays a strong, capable character on equal footing with her male co-star. In the action-packed series, Samantha’s character actively participates in the plot’s high-stakes moments, “taking and throwing punches” alongside the male hero, which she says is rare in action genres.

Samantha acknowledged that by focusing on such roles, the number of projects she is offered has diminished, but she remains resolute in her decision to avoid roles that reduce women to mere decorative elements. She views this as a necessary step in her career to contribute to a more accurate and empowering representation of women in the media.

On the work front, Samantha’s role in “Citadel: Honey Bunny” continues her push for dynamic, equal roles for women. The show, a spin-off from the “Citadel” franchise, also stars Varun Dhawan and features a cast that includes KK Menon, Sikandar Kher, and Saqib Saleem.