Varun Dhawan and Samantha Ruth Prabhu will soon star in Raj & DK’s web series Citadel: Honey Bunny. The teaser for the Indian edition of the Amazon Prime series Citadel was released on Thursday and was followed by a press meet. Varun opened up about Samantha shooting for the series amid her myositis diagnosis. (Also Read: Citadel Honey Bunny release date announced with new teaser; Samantha Ruth Prabhu, Varun Dhawan team up for Russo Bros)
‘Never witnessed a co-actor battling something and succeeding’
Varun was candid about Samantha’s shooting for Citadel after she was diagnosed with myositis, an autoimmune disorder. He said, “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.”
He added that she inspired her and the rest of the team with her dedication while shooting despite all odds, saying, “I’ve never been on a shoot or a creative process like that before, where I witnessed a co-actor going through such challenges. You learn a lot about human resilience and strength when you see someone battling something and still succeeding. Samantha inspired not just me, but also Raj, DK, Sita, and everyone at Amazon. Her dedication to this action show is truly inspirational.”
‘I passed out and had a concussion while shooting for the series’
In March this year, Samantha revealed on her health podcast, Take 20, that shooting for the series was difficult. Talking to her co-host and wellness coach, Alkesh Sharotri, she said, “I had to finish Kushi (her Telugu film with Vijay Deverakonda), and I had to shoot for Citadel, which is extremely physical. There’s a lot of action involved. So it was very strenuous.”
She also added that through the shoot she would have spasms or pass out, and Alkesh would be called to help her through it, saying, “Many, many calls were made to you (Alkesh) in the middle of shoot – she’s having a spasm, she’s cramping. I passed out and I had a concussion,.”
For the unversed, Samantha took a break from work after her myositis diagnosis in 2022. The autoimmune condition forced her to recuperate and take it slow.
About Citadel: Honey Bunny
Citadel: Honey Bunny is the Indian chapter of the American web series Citadel, created by Josh Appelbaum, Bryan Oh, and David Weil. The Russo Brothers are the executive producers. Priyanka Chopra and Richard Madden starred as the leads of the 2023 spy action thriller series. Sikandar Kher, Kay Kay Menon, Saqib Saleem and Emma Canning also star in the series that will be out on November 7.