The series is produced by D2R Films, Amazon MGM Studios, and executive produced by the Russo Brothers’ AGBO. Anthony Russo, Joe Russo, Angela Russo-Otstot, and Scott Nemes from AGBO, alongside David Weil (Hunters), executive produce Citadel: Honey Bunny and all series within the world of Citadel. Midnight Radio is also an executive producer. The series features the immensely talented Varun Dhawan and Samantha in the lead and the ever-so-versatile Kay Kay Menon, along with an exciting ensemble cast that includes Simran, Saqib Saleem, Sikandar Kher, Soham Majumdar, Shivankit Parihar, and Kashvi Majmundar. Citadel: Honey Bunny is set to premiere exclusively on Prime Video in the UK and across more than 240 countries and territories worldwide on November 7.
Excerpts from Samantha’s interview:
Tell us about your character in Citadel: Honey Bunny.
Honey is a spirited and determined young woman who dreams of making it big in the world of acting but ends up thrust into the world of espionage. The Honey you see at the beginning is young, naive, and exuberant, but along the way she becomes withdrawn, focused, and a mother bear. Despite facing numerous obstacles and challenges, she has to embody strength, charm, and vulnerability to face the world. Alongside Rahi “Bunny” Gambhir, she becomes the key to the fate of Citadel, an independent spy agency.
After The Family Man 2, this is your second project with Raj and DK. What do you enjoy about collaborating with them?
I have immense love and respect for Raj and DK. I am very humbled to have had such incredible yet vastly different experiences with these two creative geniuses on both The Family Man 2 and Citadel: Honey Bunny. Citadel: Honey Bunny provided a fresh canvas to delve into the complex world of an undercover spy thriller. Raj and DK are the sweetest, but they are also extremely demanding directors who keep challenging you, which is every actor’s dream. I think we’re now a family, and I will forever be indebted to this creator duo for giving me a character like Raaji in The Family Man 2 and for believing in me to portray Honey in the espionage series.
What was it like working with Varun?
It was an absolute delight. He brings a blend of passion, dedication, and versatility to the project. When you have to play a difficult character, you really need people around you to cooperate. He’s such a giving actor. He genuinely wants all of his co-stars to do well. And that’s half the battle won when you have co-stars that are rooting for you; it just makes the process so much easier. He really helped me with my performance! I am so happy for him that he’s done an action series so fabulously well. I think that this is the beginning of “Action Varun Dhawan”!
What does the 1990s setting add to Citadel: Honey Bunny?
When you think of a spy film, you immediately think of state-of-the-art technology, fancy gadgets. You somehow imagine that emotions and character arcs take a backseat. But I think that by setting it in the ‘90s, there was more dependency on human capabilities than on gadgets. It was more about human wit and hand-to-hand combat, and it was very raw. That just is more exciting for an actor. I really have to thank Sita, Raj, and DK for having been able to build such a seamless world.
Talk us through Honey’s training as an agent.
Bunny starts training Honey, and he’s really hard on her. He doesn’t give her any kind of special treatment, nor does he deal with her differently because she’s a girl. He goes for it. He believes in training her as a tough-love, harsh coach. Honey’s major quality is that she can take a lot of pain, and she keeps coming back for more. I think that’s also her life story, where she falls a lot, she loses a lot, but she somehow always stands back up again. She aces the training eventually and becomes an elite agent.
What can you tell us about the physical training you went through for the action scenes in this show?
The adrenaline-pumping action sequences and physical demands of portraying a character like Honey required intensive training and dedication. In this series, Raj and DK were very particular about the blood continuity. Every day I was covered in blood, and it just made it all the more exciting to prep. From combat skills to stunt work, preparing for the series pushed me to new limits, resulting in a few battle scars that I wear as badges of honor from the rigorous yet exhilarating filming process.
How would you describe her relationship with Nadia?
Sita [R. Menon] truly created the most brilliant mother-daughter relationship that I’ve seen on screen. It is atypical. They are friends, they are equals. Honey has been prepping Nadia since early on, anticipating the threats that will follow her. She knows that eventually the enemy is going to come after her, and she has to make Nadia tough, as she’s not always going to be around to protect Nadia. She’s a mother who practices tough love. They don’t hug. She wants to make Nadia really hard. But I don’t think she really succeeds in that because Nadia is all heart, just like her mother. This particular relationship, for me, was very, very special.
Did you enjoy being part of the wider Citadel world?
Yes! The first series of Citadel marked the beginning of a groundbreaking world with connected stories spanning the globe. It’s a unique world showcasing unified narratives from different chapters globally, which is absolutely intriguing and amazing. Each chapter offers unique storytelling while sharing the same core, creating a rich and diverse experience. The Indian chapter, in particular, is comprehensive and captivating, embracing its originality and authenticity to the region. Taking on the role of Honey presented a thrilling challenge and an opportunity to contribute to this unprecedented global saga, and I couldn’t be happier.
Without any spoilers, give us one reason why audiences shouldn’t miss Citadel: Honey Bunny.
Citadel: Honey Bunny promises an exhilarating blend of mystery, intrigue, and action set against the backdrop of the ‘90s. Audiences can expect a really interesting narrative that weaves together compelling characters, unexpected twists, and heart-pounding moments that will keep them on the edge of their seats.
Describe Honey in one word.
Lethal!
