While his Bollywood journey made him a villain on screen, off it, Sonu Sood’s recent role in helping migrants during the pandemic has made him a hero. But the actor wants to remain unattached to all these titles being bestowed on him coming his way.
“I don’t know how to react to because I don’t think I am a National hero. It started very simply with me being worried about the plight of all the migrants, who were unable to reach their homes. I am touched by the outpouring of love and blessings for me but I just think that I am doing my bit and everyone should do it. It is easy to appreciate me or my mission but I urge other to do the same,” says Sood.
Being catapulted to the level of a real-life hero comes with its own set of challenges and responsibilities and the actor says meeting people’s expectations is the biggest of them all.
“I get almost 100 emails every single day of people asking for help and thousands of messages, but I also know that I can’t help all of them. I try to solve at least 30 to 40 problems every day, may be more,” he adds.
While Sood’s efforts have received enough appreciation from all quarters, he urges all those who can, to come forward and help as many people as they can on a daily basis because he feels that is the perfect way to show patriotism for one’s country.
“I wish other people who are capable of doing more than me should also come forward and help. We all can do a little bit more. The true meaning of patriotism is helping the fellow countrymen in the times of need. I feel that in every school there should be a subject about humanity so that the concept and understanding of being benevolent can be established very early on,” the 47-year-old says.
The actor also hopes that with the jolt that has been the pandemic, people will respect the concept of freedom and value it more than ever before.
“This crisis has hot us all financially and mentally. I feel that we have stronger mindset as we come out of it and we will be a better nation hereon. I don’t think that people never had a humane side before this but they probably never explored it. Now things have changes, at least that is what I hope. People will now put in an extra effort to help others.
Not just a messiah or a Covid hero for the migrants, Sood is also now pitching in for international evacuation of Indian citizens as well as providing assistance in employment to many who have been displaced.
“The concept of Roti, Kapda and Makaan can never go out of fashion. I wanted to create that will help everyone find jobs and get back on their feet. Helping fellow countrymen is the biggest contribution one can make to one’s country,” he says.
And this interesting turn of events in his life has translated into many offers for biopics and books. But Sood says he is taking it slowly but appreciates all such opportunities coming his way.
“Before all this, I would wonder what have I done in life to deserve a biopic. It does give you a little high that they want the world to see what the journey I went through in this pandemic with all those people., I remember a pregnant lady who I boarded on train and upon reaching Madhubani, Bihar, she delivered a baby and named the newborn, Sonu Sood. These are the moments that I look at as my real achievements,” he concludes.