Stepping beyond the spotlight of cinema, Samantha Prabhu says entrepreneurship has been a deeply personal turning point in her life. From battling self-doubt to learning to trust her instincts, the actor-turned-entrepreneur reflects on how building businesses pushed her to bet on herself and rediscover confidence in ways her acting career never quite demanded.
It's (entrepreneurship) the greatest gift that I have given myself to actually step out of my comfort zone of being an actor and to be able to work with such amazing people, doing amazing things, improving the quality of life of people around,” Prabhu told Moneycontrol.
Best phase of life
She even called building businesses the best phase of her life.
The actor has as many as 12 startups in her portfolio, she is the co-founder of menstrual wellness brand Zoy and last year she also founded Truly SMA, her own line of clothing brand.
While Prabhu has been stealing the spotlight for her roles in movies and series like Raji in The Family Man 2 or as Honey in Citadel, she says her foray into the business world has opened up new possibilities for her.
“As an actor, you have tunnel vision and have very few people around you. You interact with just the people you're filming with and the people that are involved in that film. But as an entrepreneur, investing in over 10 companies, I have the opportunity to understand real world problems, to work in a team, to work in partnerships.”
Starting a business, setting up a company has also made Prabhu more confident.
“I went from an extremely underconfident girl to now going to the other extreme. I want to be the person who bets on herself completely. Today, if I believe in an idea, in a product and a founder, I want to bet on them. I want to bet on my belief in the product and I want to go all the way with it.”
Prabhu said she enjoys the process of building something from scratch.
“I don't think of the end game. I think of the process and I want to enjoy every single day of my life and enjoy the process of building something from scratch. That's where my happiness lies in building things and being part of building things.”
She added, “I have the privilege of working with amazing founders, co-founders, who truly have their heart in the right place. So I'm really enjoying this process.”
Prabhu also said that women should not limit themselves.
“You don't have to limit yourself to the box society has given you. And you don't have to be scared to stay in the box just because society tells you that that's the right thing to do. I think that by dabbling in many things, I've realized my true potential, that I can focus on 12 different things and give my 100% to 12 different things.”
“And that's what I would like to tell women, don't limit yourself to the boundaries that other people give you.”
Celebrity startups
Reflecting on celebrity startups, she said that businesses like Katrina Kaif’s Kay Beauty or Hrithik Roshan’s HRX have had the most success, according to her.
“When the celebrity and the brand fit like a glove, the business is a success. It's only when you can see that they aren't really using the product, that's when the businesses fail naturally. Which is why if you look around my house, you definitely see every brand that I have invested in.”
“I will never be part of a business and endorse a product that I don't personally use,” she added.
Startup portfolio
When it comes to her businesses, Prabhu said before adding more to the portfolio it's time for her to see them grow.
“I think 12 is enough. It's time for me to focus on seeing them grow. My focus has definitely been on sectors that improve the quality of life of those around me. A
Hence the wellness sector. I invest heavily in wellness, in education including firms like Ekam, Urban Kisaan, Secret Alchemist.”
Additionally, she said that her new venture Truly SMA was a natural progression after being part of the fashion world.
“As an actor, you're part of the fashion industry. You learn so much from stylists. You learn so much about the fashion game. And so Truly SMA is just a natural way of expressing that.”
Building business
Prabhu’s first venture as an entrepreneur Saaki gave her the drive to build something of her own.
“I've had great learnings with Saki, which was my first ever venture as an entrepreneur. The experience in the fashion space, being involved with a large community of women through Saaki, these were the things that I learned from the brand.”
And Truly SMA is a natural progression, she said. “Just like I have evolved as a person, my style has changed. Truly SMA feels more like me right now.”
“It is the kind of clothes I want to wear, the kind of clothes I'm wearing right now, the kind of clothes I live in. My Instagram is full of pieces from Truly SMA. And I feel like this is as close to a brand that I have ever been.”
The actor said that her apparel brand sits in the affordable, premium, everyday wear segment.
“It appeals to the working women of India today. It bridges design sensibility with quality at affordable pricing. And I think that there is a large part of aspirational India that wants to feel themselves in pieces, wants functional pieces that are not chasing trends.”
Currently online and also shipping outside India, Prabhu’s next step is to take the brand to retail stores.
“It has been my dream for the brand to also start going retail and being stocked in multi-designer stores. And I think that's happening faster than I ever imagined it would. It is happening this year.”
Catering to international markets like the US, Malaysia and seeing strong traction across metros and smaller markets within India, Prabhu remains confident about the brand.
“I think that Truly SMA does not chase trends. It creates timeless functional pieces that move with you. And I don't believe that fashion needs to transform someone. You need to feel yourself in the fashion that you wear. And I think that's Truly Smart. It's truly yourself.”
Comfort comes first, she said.
“As working women, we look for comfort first. So I think that that's what Truly SMA is about,” she added.
Back on big screen
In addition to startups and entrepreneurship, 2026 seems to be an exciting year for Samantha Prabhu even on the acting front.
“My new film which Tralala Moving Pictures, my own production company has produced--- Maa Inti Bangaram is releasing this sumer. It's been a while since I did a Telugu film and had a film release in the theatre,” she said.
Exclusive --- Lights, camera, capital: Samantha Prabhu on entrepreneurship and startup investing
Discover the latest Business News, Sensex, and Nifty updates. Obtain Personal Finance insights, tax queries, and expert opinions on Moneycontrol or download the Moneycontrol App to stay updated!
Find the best of Al News in one place, specially curated for you every weekend.
Stay on top of the latest tech trends and biggest startup news.
