‘When you fail, you fail in front of a live audience’: Samantha Prabhu spotlights acting, entrepreneurship

For over a decade, actor Samantha Ruth Prabhu has portrayed diverse and critically acclaimed roles in Telugu and Tamil cinema. From her debut in ‘Ye Maya Chesave’ to grooving to the viral hit song ‘Oo Antava’, the actress has delivered stellar performances on screen. She was introduced to the north Indian audiences with The Family Man.

Beyond cinema, Prabhu has been steadily expanding her footprint in the entrepreneurial world. She co-created the direct-to-consumer (D2C) ethnic fashion brand Saaki, and has also participated in the seed rounds of brands including Nourish You.

She recently added another feather to her entrepreneurial cap after investing in Secret Alchemist, a D2C wellness startup, and joining it as a co-founder.

Started in 2021 by Ankita Thadani and Akash Valia, the aromatherapy-based wellness brand offers products such as roll-ons, candles, and more, made from essential oils for hair growth, joint pain, skincare etc. The startup recently raised $500,000 in a seed round led by Inflection Point Ventures. 

“I know a product is good when it seamlessly becomes part of your routine, and you feel something is missing when you don't use it every day. I think that's when there's magic,” she tells HerStory in an exclusive interview. “That was the instant connection for me with Secret Alchemist—I found myself reaching for their products every day.”

Prabhu recalls that when she was diagnosed with myositis, an autoimmune condition that causes muscle inflammation, she started on conventional treatments and also looked for alternative solutions.

“When I was on my healing journey and went for treatment abroad, aromatherapy became an unexpected source of comfort and healing for me,” Prabhu posted on Instagram.

She uses her knowledge and experience in aromatherapy to give input on Secret Alchemist’s product development and packaging. She also creates educational content to raise awareness about aromatherapy. 

“I'm not here to just sell a product. I want anyone who picks up anything from Secret Alchemist should not be making just a random purchase but they should be making a purchase with a very well-informed reasoning behind it,” she explains.

Thadani recalls that Prabhu had DM'd the duo and when they first met, they sensed a synergy between them.

“We viewed the market and aromatherapy products with the same passion and vigour. This passion was honestly the starting point of why we even thought of coming together,” Thadani shares.

“We still need to educate the masses about aromatherapy, and she is extremely involved in creating the right kind of content,” she adds.

Venturing into entrepreneurship and investments

Prabhu shares that the idea of building something and contributing positively to people's lives drove her to become an entrepreneur. 

“I come from humble beginnings; money should really entice and drive me, but somehow that hasn't been the case. It's moments like these that make my life complete,” Prabhu remarks.

As an investor, she tends to follow her heart in search of making an impact. If she is not using the products in the company she has invested in, she would no longer want to be associated with it, she says.

“I believe it is really important now to be a part of brands that collectively influence and are good for society at large. I'm truly excited about ideas and brands that have a meaningful impact. I do believe I am ambitious, but my ambitions should tie in with a greater purpose and have a meaningful impact,” she explains.

Prabhu is the co-founder of pre-school Ekam, production house Tralala Moving Pictures, a clothing brand Saaki, and is also the co-owner of the World Pickleball League’s Chennai franchise. She has also invested in Urban Kisaan and Nourish You.

“Everything I have invested in…is associated with making an impact on the future and creating meaningful change….I wouldn't venture into something that isn't me,” she says.

As of now, Prabhu has no immediate plans to enter the beauty industry as she hasn’t found a venture that truly resonates with her.

Prabhu notes that people often ask her why she steps into the business world despite a thriving acting career. She says, "It's like people saying, 'Stay in your lane—you play a sport, you're backing a team, so stay in your lane. Why do you have to enter into sports now?' I find these questions amusing."

She believes that if someone is interested in business and wants to explore creativity beyond the screen, they should.

“It's a way to channel passion into something, and there's incredible happiness in seeing something grow and evolve. It's like watching your baby grow,” she notes.

Prabhu believes both cinema and entrepreneurship fuel different creative energies for her and complete her in different ways. Both roles have one thing in common—“When you fail, you fail in front of a live audience.”

“I think it's very exciting to collect those broken pieces and build yourself back together in front of a live audience. It's incredibly empowering. So, I'm not afraid of failure, and I think that's what drives me to make bold choices,” she believes.

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Navigating health challenges

Prabhu notes that it was hard to cope with myositis initially, and felt an extreme sense of helplessness when traditional medicine wasn't working. That’s when she delved into research and adopted alternative practices.

“When someone suffers from a chronic ailment, you're willing to try anything, to be honest,” she remarks. 

Now, everything from her diet to her daily routine is carefully streamlined. “It's not just one solution but a bunch of them together that helped me. People shouldn't lose hope just because one mode of treatment isn't working,” she adds.

Prabhu has been very active on social media, sharing her journey with her audience. While she acknowledges that social media can be a challenging space, she believes her mental health has become strong enough to fight hate.

“Maybe I've made mistakes in the past due to a lack of knowledge. But once I have the knowledge and understanding, I tend not to make the same mistakes twice. If I do make a mistake, I am not the kind of person who runs away from it. I will apologise,” she adds. “Once you apologise, social media forgives and forgets.”

As an actor, she is always up for the next big challenge. 

“I think the number of projects will reduce, but the quality will increase for sure,” she says while talking about her future plans.

(The copy was updated to correct a factual error.)