Hyderabad: Tollywood star Samantha Ruth Prabhu has once again found herself at the centre of online discussions, this time over her views on veganism. Known for embracing a plant-based lifestyle in recent years, the actress has often spoken about compassion, sustainability, and mindful living.

Now, a video of Samantha is surfacing online in which she is seen explaining her decision to turn vegan. The clip is going viral, drawing mixed reactions from netizens.

In the video, Samantha reflects on the idea of empathy and the contradictions in human behavior when it comes to animals. She says she loves her pet dog but once questioned why she continued consuming other animals for food. Calling it a matter of regaining empathy, the actress shared that this realization led her to completely give up animal products.

Samantha said, “I love my dog Hash, but I choose to kill another animal for my lunch and my dinner because that animal is not my pet. So, this is why you can love your pet and choose to eat an animal in the afternoon and the night. But then you can love your family, but you can’t love people who are suffering outside because it’s it stems from that same thing, right? So I wanted my empathy back and that’s when I decided that no I’m going to stop eating any kind of animal product.”

While some appreciated her perspective, several social media users were quick to criticise her remarks. A section of users pointed out the use of leather products and animal-derived ingredients in fashion and cosmetics, questioning the consistency of such choices.

One said, “Then stop using costly Leather Items and promoting them which are made up of animal skin. Don’t wear such costly items. Buy an electric car.”

Others argued that eating non-vegetarian food is part of the natural ecosystem and should not be equated with cruelty in the same way as other industries.

Another commented, “Will the dog do the same? … No right … That’s how the ecosystem works ! … Eating non-veg is not as cruel as killing animals for leather, beauty products and other products”

“Makeup items do have animal ingredients , so..,” one more netizen wrote.

Despite the debate, Samantha continues to advocate for conscious living and often shares glimpses of her vegan lifestyle on social media.

On the work front, she has an exciting lineup ahead, including the Telugu film Maa Inti Bangaram, slated for release on May 15, 2026, which she is also producing. She will also be seen in the Netflix series Rakt Brahmand: The Bloody Kingdom, directed by Raj & DK. The actress was last seen in Citadel: Honey Bunny.