Samantha Ruth Prabhu, who plays Honey in Raj and DK’s series Citadel: Honey Buney, recently opened up how she initially tried to convince the director duo to replace her as she was struggling with health issues during the shooting. In a conversation with Galatta India, Samantha revealed she suggested four options to replace herself. Samantha said, “I begged them to move on because I really didn’t think I could do it. I was really sure I couldn’t. I sent other recommendations, ‘Look at this heroine, she is so amazing. She will kill it. I beg you I can’t do this.’ I sent like four options to them. I was really not well.”
Samantha, who has been battling an autoimmune condition called Myositis, is glad as she finally managed to do the series and was not replaced. “Now, watching this show, I am so thankful that they didn’t make it without me and that I found the strength to do it. Even before the verdict is out for this show, I am going to give it to myself for pulling through.”
At the teaser launch event, Varun Dhawan talked about Samantha’s determination and grit as she had to undergo tough times in terms of her illness during the shoot. “Honestly, my preparation was very easy compared to Samantha’s. It’s public knowledge what she was battling when she joined the show. I thought my rehearsals were tough, but then I saw her incredible work ethic despite her struggles, and it truly inspired me. We became partners in making things happen,” the actor said.
Citadel: Honey Bunny also stars Kay Kay Menon, Simran, Soham Majumdar, Shivankit Parihar, Kashvi Majmundar, Saquib Saleem, Sikandar Kher. Here’s all you need to know about Citadel, it is a multi-series with productions from India, Italy and Mexico. It stars Richard Madden alongside Priyanka Chopra and it has been backed by the Russo Brothers. The India chapter of Citadel has been helmed by Raj and DK. Samantha previously worked with them in Family Man 2.