‘Ruko ji, please!’ — Samantha slams paparazzi outside gym, viral video sparks online debate

Actor Samantha Ruth Prabhu was visibly annoyed when she was followed and photographed by paparazzi outside her gym in Mumbai on Tuesday.

Dressed in brown co-ords and a sports attire, she appeared tense and was speaking on the phone when she first requested the photographers to stop, saying, “Rukho ji please.”

However, when they continued to follow her, Samantha snapped, saying “Stop it, guys,” before heading quickly to her car. A video of the incident has since gone viral, with fans and social media users weighing in on celebrity privacy and media behaviour.

Many fans defended Samantha, saying her frustration was justified. Others pointed out the increasing intrusion celebrities face even during personal or routine outings.

The incident comes shortly after Samantha turned producer with her new Telugu horror-comedy Subham, which was released on JioHotstar and received critical praise. The actor has also been in headlines for her rumoured relationship with filmmaker Raj Nidimoru. The two have worked together on projects like The Family Man 2, Citadel: Honey Bunny, and the upcoming Netflix series Rakt Brahmand: The Bloody Kingdom.