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‘I can't eat’: Samantha Ruth Prabhu on constant queries about her weight loss; reveals why she named her cat Gelato

While promoting her upcoming release Maa Inti Bangaram, Samantha Ruth Prabhu got candid about struggling with myositis.

Updated on: Jun 18, 2026, 16:11:50 IST
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Actor Samantha Ruth Prabhu has been vocal about her struggles with the autoimmune disorder she suffers from, myositis. Recently, while promoting her upcoming film Maa Inti Bangaram, the actor spoke about her two-year break from films due to the disease and the constant queries about her weight loss. She also revealed a surprising connection to it all to her pet cat, Gelato. (Also Read: Raj Nidimoru holds Samantha Ruth Prabhu close protectively as they are crowded by fans in Tirumala. Watch)

Samantha Ruth Prabhu on queries about her weight loss

Samantha Ruth Prabhu spoke about her two-year break from films.
Samantha Ruth Prabhu spoke about her two-year break from films.

Samantha was asked on Galatta Plus about why she named her pet cat Gelato. The actor got surprisingly candid about the story behind the name and said, “Those two years that I was on a break, food was a trigger. If I eat anything that upsets my gut, I would trigger the autoimmune condition. And so, my food became extremely restricted and extremely bland. I would eat the same food for breakfast, lunch and dinner for two years. And then the first thing that I was allowed to add was gelato, without sugar and dairy. So, I would really look forward to that gelato. So, when I decided to get a cat, I named her Gelato.”

After her divorce from Naga Chaitanya in 2021, and while promoting her film Yashoda in 2022, Samantha revealed on social media that she was diagnosed with the autoimmune condition. “A few months back I was diagnosed with an autoimmune condition called Myositis. I was hoping to share this after it had gone into remission. But it is taking a little longer than I hoped,” she wrote, posting a picture of herself with an IV line and hoping that she’s closer to recovery.

“When I had to take that break recently, I was hustling the most. I wanted to do many films and keep doing it. I never thought there would be retirement. You become so egoistic as an actor that you see no end, you refuse to see there is an end. After this recent break, I could envision that end for me, and that really changed me in many ways. I made certain decisions during the break, like if I come back to this profession after the break, I will have to change a lot of things, a lot of old patterns,” she recently told Gulte.

Maa Inti Bangaram is directed by Nandini Reddy and stars Samantha, Gautami, Sreemukhi, Diganth, Gulshan Devaiah and others. It will be released in theatres on June 19. Samantha is now married to Raj Nidimoru and Chaitanya is married to Sobhita Dhulipala.

 
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Neeshita Nyayapati

Despite having a Master's degree in Journalism and over a decade of experience in print and digital media as a field reporter and sub-editor at organisations such as The Times of India and Reader's Digest, Neeshita Nyayapati remains a movie buff first and a Chief Content Producer second. She fell in love with movies in childhood and believes nothing matches the magic of watching a good film that moves you with a warm tub of popcorn in hand. Her love for writing about cinema follows that. Come Friday, you'll find her at her happy place, the movies, catching the latest rom-com or masala offering, for reviews or otherwise. As for the rest of the week, she's here reporting the juiciest news in Telugu, Tamil, Malayalam, Kannada and Hindi or bringing out the best of celebs in interviews. While her niche is Telugu cinema, Neeshita likes to dabble in a little bit of everything to stay up to date. From film announcements to scandals and hard news angles, she has explored it all. A good book, a comforting cup of hot chocolate, puppy kisses and a stunning beach view are all she needs to unwind. Her passion for biking and travelling has taken her to various places across the country. She has found peace in everything from the frozen lakes of Gangtok to the coffee plantations of Coorg and the dense forests of Bandipur, to the monasteries of Darjeeling. But no matter where she goes, Neeshita loves coming across inspiring and moving stories.

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