It’s been 15 years since Samantha Ruth Prabhu walked into Telugu cinema with Ye Maaya Chesave—and unknowingly, into the hearts of millions. At the Zee Telugu Apsara Awards, the actor was honoured for her decade-and-a-half-long journey, and among the audience cheering the loudest was her former mother-in-law, Amala Akkineni.

In a promo released by Zee Telugu, Samantha is seen cutting a layered cake and glowing on stage as the host announces her 15-year milestone. The channel captioned the video: “S is for Samantha, S is for Success — Celebrating 15 glorious years of Samantha on the Apsara Awards stage!” The full awards show will air on May 24 at 5:30 pm.

In her speech, Samantha expressed gratitude to the Telugu industry, calling it her karmabhoomi. “The Telugu (film) industry has given me everything. Ide naa karma bhumi. I promise to always put the Telugu audience first,” she said, receiving a round of applause. The camera panned to Amala Akkineni—smiling and clapping proudly.

Fans in the comments couldn’t help but notice Samantha’s aura—many declared that “the old Sam” was back. “She has got her smile back,” one fan wrote, while another added, “That grace, that glow—she’s truly herself again.”

Samantha’s journey: Then and now

From Her Breakthrough In Ye Maaya Chesave to Hits Like Brindavanam, Attarintiki Daredi, Kaththi, and Theri, Samantha has carved a name in Telugu and Tamil Cinema. More recently, she appeared in Shaakuntalam and Kushi in 2023 Before Taking A Break to Manage Her Myositis Diagnosis.

In 2024, she starred alongside Varun Dhawan in Citadel: Honey Bunny and is set to appear in Netflix’s upcoming Rakt Brahmand: The Bloody Kingdom. She’s also stepped into the role of producer with her banner Tralala Moving Pictures. Her debut production Subham releases this year, and she’ll next be seen in Maa Inti Bangaram.

Despite personal challenges—including her 2021 separation from Naga Chaitanya, who is now married to Sobhita Dhulipala—Samantha’s comeback is loud, proud, and full of promise.