Samantha Ruth Prabhu, who ended her marriage with actor Naga Chaitanya in 2021 and was diagnosed with autoimmune condition myositis the next year, has said that the period leading to her diagnosis was “extremely difficult” as she couldn’t relax for a “long, long time”.

“I remember specifically the year before I had this problem, it was an extremely difficult year for me,” the 36-year-old said in the first episode of her health podcast Take 20, which premiered on Monday.

“I specifically remember the day that I think my friend/partner/manager Himank and I were traveling back from Mumbai. And this was in June of the year before last, and I remember telling him that finally I feel calm. I haven’t felt a little relaxed and a little calm in a very, very long time. And I finally feel like I can breathe and I can go to sleep, and I can now wake up and focus on my work and be the best that I can be at work. And I woke up with this condition,” the Kushi star added.

Samantha and Naga Chaitanya tied the knot in October 2017. They decided to part ways after nearly four years of marriage, announcing their separation in October 2021.

“The reason I wanted to do this podcast was because after the harrowing experience that I’ve been through, and, well, an autoimmune condition is lifelong, so with what I’m dealing with right now as well, I’d rather want people to be safe than sorry,” the Yashoda actress said.

Last year, Samantha announced a temporary break from her acting career to prioritise her health. In 2022, she revealed her diagnosis of myositis, an autoimmune condition, just ahead of the release of her film Yashoda.

Despite her health challenges, Samantha is set to star alongside Varun Dhawan in the Indian adaptation of the American series Citadel, created by Raj Nidimoru and Krishna DK. The international version featured Priyanka Chopra and Richard Madden in lead roles.