Samantha Ruth Prabhu calls for gender equality at Citadel: Honey Bunny trailer launch

Mumbai: Indian actress Samantha Ruth Prabhu, who stars as a spy in the upcoming series 'Citadel: Honey Bunny', made a compelling statement for gender equality at the trailer launch in Mumbai.

“The future of female sounds cool and I know it sounds equal now, but I’d like it to be an equal playing ground, maybe—where intelligence, talent, and strengths decide your fate irrespective of gender. That is an amazing place to be,” she said.

Reflecting on the industry’s recent shifts, she added, “The platform is just so much wider, the opportunities… the future seems bright. I am just happy to be a part of this world and work with different people across the globe.”

Scheduled to release on Prime Video on November 7, 'Citadel: Honey Bunny', also starring Varun Dhawan, is a spin-off of the American television series Citadel led by Priyanka Chopra. The series, an Indian spin-off of the global espionage series franchise 'Citadel', also features Kay Kay Menon, Simran, and Saqib Saleem.

Written and directed by Raj & DK, the show features Samantha and Varun as the titular characters. It's set in the 1990s and it's the origin story of Nadia, played by Priyanka Chopra in US version of Citadel. It's also co-produced by Joe and Anthony Russo, the creators of 'Citadel' series.

Dubai girl's acting debut:

Dubai-based dancer Kashvi Majmundar also makes her acting debut in the series, which is high on stunts, espionage, and high-stakes conspiracy. She plays the younger version of Nadia, a character originally portrayed by Priyanka Chopra in Citadel.

“When Raj & DK sir told me that I was going to play Nadia, the younger version of Priyanka Chopra, I was thrilled. Priyanka Chopra is an all-rounder—she can act, sing, and dance. And now I can say I sing, dance, and can act,” said Kashvi at the trailer launch. Her endearing antics, which belied her young age, won over both local and international press.

Dhawan, who performs high-octane action scenes alongside Samantha, shared that he went all out to nab this coveted role, being a big fan of Raj & DK’s hit series 'The Family Man'.

“I had a late-night phone call with DK, and we just started discussing movies. He spilled that he’s doing something with the Russo brothers. I knew it was going to be huge, and the possibilities were endless.”

He claims that majority of the stunt sequences were done without of the help of a stunt doubles. At that point, Samantha chipped in saying how Varun was eager to amp up the stunt sequences while she was sapped off energy doing the scenes on paper alone. 

The show creators also reminded fans that 'Citadel: Honey Bunny' is not a remake of the American 'Citadel'.

“It’s not a remake. It’s an original series with a lot of drama. Our vision is to entertain,” said DK.

'Citadel: Honey Bunny' chronicles the lives of stuntman Bunny (Varun) and struggling actor Honey (Samantha) as they are drawn into a world of action, espionage, and betrayal.