The one member of the Indian film industry who has proved himself a messiah for stranded migrant workers is Sonu Sood. It all started during a trickle of excellent samaritanism when distressed migrants desirous of travelling home reached bent Sonu Sood for help. Soon, the trickle became a torrent of transportation as Sood, the young muscular actor from Hindi, Telugu and Tamil cinema, arranged buses for many daily wage-earners to succeed in their homes during this era of extended lockdown.
Explaining the rationale why he took the initiative to make sure these migrants reached home with hope in their eyes and food in their bellies, Sonu Sood says, “When I saw those haunting visuals of many workers walking for many miles, I couldn’t look . I had to try to to something. Like many folks , I couldn’t sleep.”
It all started for Sonu with an opportunity encounter with migrant workers on the streets of Mumbai. “When i used to be on one among my food drives, I saw migrants walking. once I asked them where they were heading to, they said Karnataka. I couldn’t believe they were walking all the way for those many miles. I told them to offer me two days to rearrange buses for them.”
Sonu then began negotiating though India’s great network of redtapism. “I started lecture officialdom in Maharashtra and Karnataka. I got all the required permission. and that i sent around 350 migrants home to Karnataka within the first lot .”
Something told Sonu this was just the start of the journey. “Seeing them smile with tears in their eyes, I knew this wasn’t getting to be for just 350 people. I had to assist thousands who were trying to urge home during the lockdown. I started a dialogue with officialdom of the many other Indian states like Uttarakhand, Bihar, Jharkhand and Uttar Pradesh about the way to get these migrants home from the cities.”
Everywhere the actor-philanthropist got a positive response. “They were very helpful. They got things moving through the bureaucracy. Even now as we speak around 1200 migrants are being taken home. Approximately, 12,000 migrants have reached home by now (through Sonu Sood’s initiative). As we speak the phone is ringing with more requests. this is often a mission on behalf of me . I won’t sleep well until every single migrant from Mumbai and Delhi reaches home.”
What forces impel Sonu to try to to what he’s doing? “It’s something I’ve been mentioned with. My mom and pop always taught me that privilege means a responsibility. If i’m successful, it’s because i’m meant to assist those that are less privileged than me.”
Sonu has made a promise to himself. “I’ll see every single worker home. and that i am not during this alone. My chartered accountants, my ally Neeti Goel, we are beat this together. We speak 20 times each day co-ordinating travel plans for workers in several cities. I just hope I’m ready to live up to expectations. my very own and therefore the people reaching bent me for help.”
Sonu Sood is functioning 20 hours each day to ascertain the migrants are on their way. “I’m super-charged . i’m connecting with people till late within the night then seeing a replacement bus load of migrants are off to their destination within the morning. It’s a 24×7 job.”
And the payoff? “I can’t describe the sensation when workers send me videos during their journey home and once they reach home. they create me realize I’m on the proper path. I feel somewhere i will be able to be a part of the lives of all those people whom I’ve helped reach home.”
To Sonu, this is often the best achievement of his life. “I may have done 100 films. But to carry the hand of these people sitting at the roadside expecting someone to require them house is a life-changing experience. it’ll stick with me forever.”
Why aren’t other privileged members of the Bollywood fraternity coming forward with a helping hand? Sonu mumbles, “Oh most are doing what he or she will . We’re beat this together.”
