Nandini Reddy says her friend Samantha Ruth Prabhu has evolved into a whole new person: ‘Calmer, sorted’ | Interview

NAndini Reddy and Samantha babe ruth Prabhu had worked unitedly for years before they did some of their charles herbert best act in Maa Inti Bangaaram. As the filmmaker is ready to point out to Hindustan Times, three (Jabardasth in 2012, Oh! Baby in 2019) of her six films have been with the actor. So it’s only natural to witness firsthand how she has grown in both her career and personal life. (Also Read: How pregnant Samantha Ruth Prabhu shot Maa Inti Bangaaram song, chase sequence: ‘No top sun, proper breaks’ | Interview)“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. Nandini Reddy on how much Samantha Ruth Prabhu has evolvedNandini talks about her friend of many years with warmth when I ask. “She’s really grown, trained, and evolved as a person. I mean, in many, many, many ways, I would say, emotionally, spiritually, strength-wise. I think she has really evolved into a completely different person,” she says, adding, “One thing that stays true to her from then to now is her incredible determination to achieve what she sets her eyes on.”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.Celebrating female friendshipIt’s no surprise then that Maa Inti Bangaaram features a heartwarming depiction of ride-or-die friendship between Samantha’s Swarna and Manjusha Mukkavilli’s Kiranmayi, who met each other in childhood under difficult circumstances at an orphanage. “I think friendships in general are not celebrated in films, and whenever they have been, it has been great. Earlier, you had two heroes to depict these friendships, but we mostly have sidekick characters now,” says Nandini, adding, “And female friendships have not really had that space to be celebrated.” 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.