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Samantha Ruth Prabhu wasn’t sure she could power through production of _Citadel: Honey Bunny_, but in the end, she’s extremely glad she did. In the Prime Video spinoff of _Citadel_, which

premiered Thursday, Nov. 7, the star — who prefers to go by her first name only — stars as Honey, an aspiring actress-turned-spy in 1980s India. _Citadel: Honey Bunny_ debuted weeks after

the premiere of the spinoff _Citadel: Diana_, a series set in Milan in 2030 starring Matilda De Angelis. While Samantha gives a memorable, adrenaline-pumping performance, behind the scenes,

the actress struggled mightily with the demanding role due to symptoms stemming from myositis, an autoimmune disease that attacks the body’s muscles. Diagnosed with the condition in 2022,

Samantha, 37, tells PEOPLE she dealt with “crippling spasms,” fatigue and sensitivity to light — an “incredibly hard” experience that caused her to, at one point, email directors Krishna

D.K. and Raj Nidimoru asking that she be replaced before production on _Citadel: Honey Bunny_ started. In a recent interview with PEOPLE, Samantha shares the challenges she overcame while

filming. “I would close my eyes just before the shot and only when they say ‘action,’ I would open them, and it would _just_ be enough for that shot and close them back again,” says

Samantha, referring to her light sensitivity. “I didn't let too many who know how difficult it was. Just a few of the inner circle knew how much I was struggling.” “There were days

where we all thought [the] shoot was going to get canceled because I wasn't able to get up,” she continues. “To now think back, it must have been some kind of divine intervention

because I really don't know how I did. … I certainly wasn't ready. I was a little better than when it started. I was 50% there, but nowhere close to being able to do action.”

Still, Samantha rose to the occasion, even soldiering through 35 takes for one fight scene towards the end of the first episode. As the camera whirs around a fast-moving car jostling left

and right, the actress takes on two men. The sequence took three hours — two hours more than expected — to shoot and proved surprisingly grueling.   “I had shot some incredibly difficult and

complicated action sequences before that particular sequence, so I assumed it was going to be child's play,” she says. “But this particular take ended up really killing everyone on set

because it turned out to be so complicated … The camera work and the movement of the car, it just became incredibly technical.” After production wrapped on _Citadel: Honey Bunny_, Samantha

took a year off from acting to focus on her health. While she remains private regarding the full scope of treatments for her condition, she partly credits alternative medicine for her

improved state. “I don't want to do more harm than good, but I definitely want to keep talking about all of the amazing possibilities that exist with alternative medicine,” she adds.

Inspired by her own health journey, Samantha launched the health-focused podcast _Take 20, _which has covered a range of topics so far, including the autoimmune system, meditation and

supplements. She’s also cofounder of Secret Alchemist, a wellness startup that sells aromatherapy products including therapeutic oils, candles and body cream. Now as a vocal health advocate,

and with season 1 of _Citadel: Honey Bunny_ behind her, the actress is aware she’s potentially becoming a role model to her tens of millions of social media followers — a responsibility she

doesn’t take lightly. “I'm not rushing to sign my next project,” she explains. “It's very important that I do not let people down, or let myself down, or be carried away by a very

big mega project you just want to be a part of but you don't have any role to play, or you are just because there needs to be a girl, or there needs to be the hero's lover and

nothing else.” She also doesn't regret starring in _Citadel: Honey Bunny_, even if the journey was a difficult one. “It's a great character,” Samantha says. “Although I had sent

many mails to Raj and D.K. to replace me and begged them to, now in retrospect, I'm just so grateful that they didn't, and they stuck by me and they stuck with me.” NEVER MISS A

STORY — SIGN UP FOR PEOPLE'S FREE DAILY NEWSLETTER TO STAY UP-TO-DATE ON THE BEST OF WHAT PEOPLE HAS TO OFFER​​, FROM CELEBRITY NEWS TO COMPELLING HUMAN INTEREST STORIES._ _ _Citadel:

Honey Bunny _can be streamed on Prime Video.