Samantha in Yashoda – Story, Cast, Action & OTT Updates

Last Updated: August 2025

Released in November 2022, Yashoda remains one of the most talked-about films in Samantha’s career. Directed by Hari–Harish, this bilingual thriller explored the dark side of surrogacy rackets while giving Samantha one of her most physically demanding roles to date.

The film not only showcased her versatility but also proved her dedication, as she trained extensively in martial arts and action choreography to deliver convincing fight sequences.

Yashoda Movie Storyline

The movie follows Yashoda (Samantha), a young woman who agrees to become a surrogate mother in exchange for money. While living in a high-tech surrogacy facility, she gradually realizes that the institution harbors sinister secrets.

As the truth unravels, Yashoda takes matters into her own hands, fighting to expose the illegal activities and protect her unborn child. The thriller combines emotional drama with high-octane action sequences, giving Samantha a chance to shine in both.

Samantha’s Role & Performance

Samantha delivered a layered performance — blending innocence, vulnerability, and raw strength. Critics highlighted her emotional range, particularly in the scenes where she discovers the reality of the surrogacy scheme.

For the action portions, Samantha underwent boxing and kickboxing training under Hollywood stunt choreographer Yannick Ben, known for films like Inception and Taken 2. This preparation paid off, as her fight sequences received strong appreciation.

Samantha Action in Yashoda Movie

Samanta Also took boxing and kickboxing training for Yashoda movie and you can expect grate action scenes and fight sequences in yashoda movie and hollywood stuntman Yannick Ben was bought to train samantha for yashoda move and in behind scenes video of Yannick Ben training samantha seems like there will be too much action when samantha escaping surrogate mothers hospital.

Cast & Crew

• Samantha Ruth Prabhu – Yashoda (lead role)
• Unni Mukundan – Dr. Gowtham
• Varalaxmi Sarathkumar – Madhu
• Murali Sharma, Sampath Raj, Shatru, Kalpika Ganesh – Supporting roles

Directors: Hari & Harish
Music: Mani Sharma
Producer: Sivalenka Krishna Prasad

Release, Box Office & OTT

• Yashoda released worldwide on 11 November 2022 in Telugu, Tamil, Hindi, Kannada, and Malayalam.
• The film opened to mixed reviews but was praised for Samantha’s performance and technical aspects.
• At the box office, it grossed around ₹30–35 crores worldwide.
• The movie began streaming on Amazon Prime Video in December 2022, where it found a wider global audience.

Critical Reception

• The Hindu noted that Samantha carried the film on her shoulders, particularly in the second half.
• Times of India praised her for taking up a physically intense role, though it felt the screenplay was predictable.
• Audiences highlighted the blend of emotional drama and slick action as a refreshing choice for a female-led Telugu film.

Why Yashoda Still Matters in 2025

Even three years later, Yashoda is remembered as one of the few Telugu thrillers centered around a woman lead. It marked Samantha’s return to action after The Family Man web series and proved her commitment despite her battle with myositis, a health condition she openly spoke about during the film’s promotions.

The movie also reinforced a trend of women-led action thrillers in Tollywood, paving the way for stronger female roles in mainstream cinema.