Overview

• At the GQ India Most Influential Young Indians event on June 26, Samantha Ruth Prabhu and Sreeleela held hands and exchanged smiles, marking their first public appearance together since the Pushpa 2 controversy.
• Rumours of a rift began in 2024 when Sreeleela replaced Samantha in the Pushpa 2 dance number “Kissik,” sparking comparisons to Samantha’s blockbuster “Oo Antava” from Pushpa: The Rise.
• While “Oo Antava” became a cultural phenomenon, audience responses to “Kissik” were mixed, fueling ongoing speculation about the actresses’ rapport.
• Unverified pay gap claims suggested Samantha earned Rs 5 crore for “Oo Antava” and Sreeleela Rs 2 crore for “Kissik,” a topic Sreeleela later dismissed as not yet discussed with producers.
• Sreeleela has maintained that “Kissik” is driven by narrative context and insisted the song itself will justify her casting when Pushpa 2 releases.