📌 Key Points
- Nandini Reddy describes Samantha Ruth Prabhu as a ‘calmer, wiser, and more sorted’ person now.
- They have collaborated on three films, including the upcoming ‘Maa Inti Bangaaram’, over a decade.
- Reddy notes Samantha’s significant spiritual growth and continued self-discipline.
- Their strong friendship was considered a ‘trump card’ for portraying the emotional bond in their new film.
Director Nandini Reddy opens up about her deep friendship with Samantha Ruth Prabhu, revealing the actress’s remarkable personal and spiritual evolution. Reddy describes Samantha as a ‘calmer, wiser, and more sorted’ individual, highlighting their long-standing professional and personal bond ahead of their third film, ‘Maa Inti Bangaaram’.
Samantha’s Personal & Spiritual Transformation
In an interview with Hindustan Times, Nandini Reddy talks about her friendship with Samantha Ruth Prabhu and their third film together, Maa Inti Bangaaram.
A Decade of Friendship and Collaboration
“We’ve had quite the journey,” says Nandini, while talking about the actor. In fact, in 2022, while wishing the filmmaker on her birthday, the actor wrote, “From seeing me at my highest highs to my lowest lows, you’ve been my ride or die!” The director says Samantha has changed as a person in more than a decade since the director has known her, in every possible way.
The director calls Samantha a hard task master. “She’s hard not only on everybody else, but she’s the hardest on herself. That hasn’t changed. But there’s an incredible amount of maturity and growth…especially spiritual growth. Today, she’s calmer, wiser, and more sorted as a person. And, of course, acting-wise, she has evolved phenomenally; that’s there to see. She makes it tangible that you feel what she’s feeling,” says Nandini with pride.
Maa Inti Bangaaram: A Bond on Screen
Nandini says she was very aware that their friendship had to work for a film like this, even going as far as calling it her trump card. “The question was, what did Swarna do for Kiranmayi, and we had limited space to help the audience understand their bond. I remembered how, as a child, there would always be someone pulling down my skirt and fixing it. So, in the film, Swarna does that, places herself between the predator and this child, and sends her away. It is the greatest act of protection which builds into this beautiful bond. I’m sure most women can relate to that,” she rounds off.
Samantha’s Maa Inti Bangaaram grossed over ₹ 80 crore worldwide, making it the highest-grossing female-led Telugu film. She is married to Raj Nidimoru and expecting their first child.
Nandini Reddy’s insights paint a picture of Samantha Ruth Prabhu’s profound journey, showcasing not just her acting prowess but also her significant personal growth. Their enduring friendship and professional synergy continue to captivate, promising another compelling collaboration in ‘Maa Inti Bangaaram’.
