Daijiworld Media Network – Bengaluru

Bengaluru, May 12: Actress Samantha Ruth Prabhu, who stunned audiences with her sizzling performance in the chartbuster ‘Oo Antava’ from Pushpa: The Rise, recently revealed that the decision to do the dance number was deeply personal and not meant as a public statement.

In a candid interview with Galatta Plus, Samantha shared that she took up the item song not to prove a point to others, but to challenge herself. “I have never considered myself hot. Oo Antava was an opportunity to see if I could fake it and pull it off,” she said, admitting she was nervous and shaking before the first shot.

Known for her girl-next-door image, Samantha said she was initially surprised by the offer and faced resistance from people around her. “I liked the lyrics. I’d never been offered something like this before,” she added, calling the experience empowering despite the anxiety.

Oo Antava turned into a massive hit, with Samantha receiving widespread praise for breaking stereotypes and embracing a bold, confident avatar. The film, starring Allu Arjun, Rashmika Mandanna, and Fahadh Faasil, was a box office blockbuster.

While Sreeleela replaces Samantha for the special song in Pushpa 2: The Rule, Samantha is now gearing up for her upcoming web series The Family Man alongside Manoj Bajpayee, set for release on Prime Video in November. She also stars in Raj & DK's fantasy-action series Rakt Bramhand: The Bloody Kingdom, which will stream on Netflix.