Samantha Ruth Prabhu, who recently lost her father, has opened up about the difficult relationship she shared with him. In an emotional interview with Galatta India, the actress revealed how her father’s actions shaped her self-worth and influenced the way she dealt with success. She shared that success often had a double impact: either it made you feel invincible or undeserving of praise. For Samantha, it was the latter.

Reflecting on her childhood, Samantha explained how her father, like many Indian parents, downplayed her achievements. He would often tell her, “You’re not that smart. This is just the standard of Indian education. That’s why even you can get a first rank.” These comments made her believe for a long time that she wasn’t good enough, leading to low self-esteem as an adult.

This mindset, she confessed, made it hard for her to accept success, especially after the massive success of her debut film Ye Maaya Chesave. “When the movie became a blockbuster and people praised me, I didn’t know how to accept it. I wasn’t used to it,” she said. Despite the accolades, she continued to doubt her talent. “I was scared people would wake up and realise I’m not all that talented or cool. I kept pushing myself to be better, to look better, to feel worthy of the attention,” she admitted.

However, over the years, Samantha has come to terms with her imperfections. It took her more than a decade to unlearn the toxic mindset and embrace who she truly is. “It took me 10-12 years or more to realise I’m not perfect and never will be. But imperfect is pretty cool too,” she concluded, showing how far she has come in accepting herself.