Samantha is playing cheap tricks for publicity, says veteran producer Chitti Babu

Samantha Ruth Prabhu, once the most sought-after star actress in the South, has found herself amidst trolls after the astronomical failure of her recent mythological drama Shaakunthalam. Directed by Gunasekhar, the movie has been facing backlash from the word go for the sorry state of the VFX, Samantha’s mismatched dubbing, weak narration, and almost every other aspect. The fact that critics found Allu Arha’s performance as the only positive is proof of the audiences’ verdict of the film. As if the heaping worries aren’t enough for Samantha, producer Chitti Babu passed bold comments on the actress and her downfall from stardom.

In an interview with a Telugu YouTube channel, Filmylooks, the actor-producer called out Sam for her choice of roles and promotional acts in recent times. “She is accepting whatever offer comes her way after her divorce. Her career as a star heroine has come to an end,” he quoted. Talking about her emotional outburst during her recent promotional tours for her films, Chitti Babu commented, “Crying in front of the media and making emotional statements don’t always work. Audiences will encourage a film only if it has promising content.”

The Tollywood veteran even went to the extent of calling Samantha’s acts cheap publicity stunts. Producer Chitti Babu added, “I wonder how an out-of-form heroine like Samantha was picked for the role of Shakunthala. I have zero interest in the film.” On the box office front, the Gunasekhar directorial added a shameful record of being the first-ever big-budgeted film failing to touch double figures during its opening weekend. Starring Dev Mohan, Prakash Raj, Mohan Babu, Madhoo, and others alongside Samantha, Shaakunthalam was released on 14 April 2023 in the theatres.

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