Samantha Ruth Prabhu Addresses Post-Divorce Stigma and Criticism in Candid Interview

Actor Samantha Ruth Prabhu recently opened up about the challenges and societal labels she faced following her divorce from fellow actor Naga Chaitanya. In an interview with Galatta India, she candidly addressed the stigma associated with being a divorced woman and shared her perspective on overcoming it.

“When a woman goes through a divorce, there is a lot of shame and stigma attached to that. I get a lot of comments saying, ‘second hand, used, wasted life.’ You are pushed into a corner where you are supposed to feel like a failure. You are supposed to feel guilt and shame that you were once married, and now you are not. It can be really hard for families and girls who have gone through that," Samantha shared during the interview.

Samantha, who repurposed her wedding gown into a new dress, also explained the significance behind the decision. "Initially, it hurt. Then I decided to flip it. I’ll own it. I am separated, I am divorced. Things haven’t been a fairytale, but that does not mean I sit in a corner, cry about it, and never have the courage to live again. It wasn’t any kind of revenge or anything, although it looked like it. It was just that 'yes, this happened' but it doesn’t mean my life ends there. It begins where it ends. I am happy, doing good work, with incredible people, and looking forward to the next phase of my life," she said.

Samantha and Naga Chaitanya met on the sets of the 2010 film Ye Maaya Chesave and began dating shortly after. They tied the knot in Goa in October 2017, first following traditional Hindu customs and later in a Christian ceremony. However, in July 2021, Samantha dropped the surname "Akkineni" from her social media profiles, sparking speculation about their relationship. The couple announced their separation in October 2021, days before their fourth wedding anniversary, and finalized their divorce the following year.Despite the scrutiny and hurtful comments, Samantha has chosen to own her narrative, focusing on her work and the future. Her resilience serves as an inspiring example of confronting societal pressures with grace and determination.