Actress Samantha Ruth Prabhu, who has primarily worked in the Tamil and Telugu film industries won the Woman of the Year award at IIFA Utsavam, held in Dubai. After collecting the award from Vicky Kaushal, she was about to leave the stage, when Rana Daggubati, one of the co-hosts of the show, stopped her to crack a few jokes and tease her.
The IIFA Utsavam was attended by the who’s-who of the industry including Rishab Shetty, Vicky Kaushal, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Mani Ratnam, Ananya Panday, Mrunal Thakur and many others. The show was hosted by actors Rana Daggubati and Teja Sajja. After receiving the award, the Yashoda actress gave an emotional speech. Before she could leave the stage, Rana, who shares a special bond with the actress stopped her. He commented, “Samantha went from Tollywood to Hollywood (Citadel: Honey Bunny). Went from being my sister-in-law to sister”. This left the audience and the actress cracking up.
For the unversed, Rana Daggubati is the cousin of actor Naga Chaitanya, who was formerly married to actress Samantha Ruth Prabhu, making her Daggubati's sister-in-law at the time. Their marriage ended in 2021 when they decided to divorce. Now, Naga Chaitanya is engaged to Shobhita Dhulipala, and the two are preparing for their upcoming wedding.
Rana further pulled her leg and said that the actress has not been doing any Telugu films lately. Samantha Ruth Prabhu wittily answered that if she had to star in a film, it would be Narasimha Naidu, not Rana Naidu. The Kaadan star pointed out that Rana Naidu was not a cinema, but a show and he could do anything on it which he learned from The Family Man.
The co-host of the show continued that he's referred to Samantha Ruth Prabhu by a unique nickname, Samantha “Ruthless” Prabhu, as a kid. He playfully wondered where her comedic side had gone. Samantha responded that her comedic and controversial persona had gone to sleep.
Rana Daggubati about Samantha’s health condition
In a recent interview, Rana Daggubati shared his thoughts on Samantha Ruth Prabhu’s ongoing battle with Myositis, an autoimmune condition she revealed last year. Samantha, who has been open about her health challenges, received supportive words from Rana, her friend and cousin to Naga Chaitanya. When asked if he had reached out to her after the announcement, Rana confirmed he did and mentioned that they "speak very often."
Speaking to RJ Siddharth Kannan, Rana reflected on how public figures sometimes choose to share their personal struggles. “It’s up to each person—whether and when they want to speak about their battles,” he noted. He emphasized that everyone faces challenges, but that talking about them is a personal choice.
Rana also highlighted the resilience needed to overcome life’s hurdles, drawing on his own perspective. "Everyone faces something life-changing or life-threatening at some point. It’s about how you handle it, and when you feel ready to speak about it. We don’t all need to dwell on the sadness; it’s more about getting back up and moving forward."
Samantha initially opened up about her diagnosis in October, posting a photo from the hospital. Since then, her openness has inspired many, with fans and colleagues, like Rana, expressing admiration for her strength.
The IIFA Utsavam was attended by the who’s-who of the industry including Rishab Shetty, Vicky Kaushal, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Mani Ratnam, Ananya Panday, Mrunal Thakur and many others. The show was hosted by actors Rana Daggubati and Teja Sajja. After receiving the award, the Yashoda actress gave an emotional speech. Before she could leave the stage, Rana, who shares a special bond with the actress stopped her. He commented, “Samantha went from Tollywood to Hollywood (Citadel: Honey Bunny). Went from being my sister-in-law to sister”. This left the audience and the actress cracking up.
For the unversed, Rana Daggubati is the cousin of actor Naga Chaitanya, who was formerly married to actress Samantha Ruth Prabhu, making her Daggubati's sister-in-law at the time. Their marriage ended in 2021 when they decided to divorce. Now, Naga Chaitanya is engaged to Shobhita Dhulipala, and the two are preparing for their upcoming wedding.
Watching this clip on loop🥰
— Samfangirl💓 (@HeartNaniSam) November 4, 2024
Kaadhu comedy Sam emaindhi??🥺@Samanthaprabhu2 #IIFAUtsavam2024 #IIFAUtsavamAwards #SamanthaRuthPrabhu𓃵 pic.twitter.com/1R3euRWQ4S
Rana further pulled her leg and said that the actress has not been doing any Telugu films lately. Samantha Ruth Prabhu wittily answered that if she had to star in a film, it would be Narasimha Naidu, not Rana Naidu. The Kaadan star pointed out that Rana Naidu was not a cinema, but a show and he could do anything on it which he learned from The Family Man.
The co-host of the show continued that he's referred to Samantha Ruth Prabhu by a unique nickname, Samantha “Ruthless” Prabhu, as a kid. He playfully wondered where her comedic side had gone. Samantha responded that her comedic and controversial persona had gone to sleep.
Rana Daggubati about Samantha’s health condition
In a recent interview, Rana Daggubati shared his thoughts on Samantha Ruth Prabhu’s ongoing battle with Myositis, an autoimmune condition she revealed last year. Samantha, who has been open about her health challenges, received supportive words from Rana, her friend and cousin to Naga Chaitanya. When asked if he had reached out to her after the announcement, Rana confirmed he did and mentioned that they "speak very often."
Speaking to RJ Siddharth Kannan, Rana reflected on how public figures sometimes choose to share their personal struggles. “It’s up to each person—whether and when they want to speak about their battles,” he noted. He emphasized that everyone faces challenges, but that talking about them is a personal choice.
Rana also highlighted the resilience needed to overcome life’s hurdles, drawing on his own perspective. "Everyone faces something life-changing or life-threatening at some point. It’s about how you handle it, and when you feel ready to speak about it. We don’t all need to dwell on the sadness; it’s more about getting back up and moving forward."
Samantha initially opened up about her diagnosis in October, posting a photo from the hospital. Since then, her openness has inspired many, with fans and colleagues, like Rana, expressing admiration for her strength.
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