Over the past few weeks, Sonu Sood has been a saviour for migrant workers, who are stuck in Mumbai amidst the lockdown. The actor, with the help of his friends Neeti Goel, Pankaj Jalisatgi and Harsh Sikariya, has been arranging buses to help them return home. So far, the actor has helped several migrant workers to reach their hometowns safely and the actor says he will continue to do so until the last one reaches his destination.
He said, “I went all out to help these migrants because I was a migrant, too, who came to Mumbai with a lot of dreams. When I saw photographs of their sufferings and read heart-wrenching stories of how they are walking thousands of kilometres without food and water, it reminded me of my early days. I first came to Mumbai by train, without a reserved ticket. I stood by the door and slept in the space next to the washroom. I know what struggle is.”
His friends from the film industry are also supporting him whole-heartedly. “Rohit Shetty and Tabu are in touch with me. Farah Khan calls me everyday to check if I need any help. She also volunteered to offer drinking water to these migrants,” said Sonu, who often ends up working 22 hours a day, to get everything organised.
“I am also looking at sending migrants home to Telangana, but the state is not accepting people from Maharashtra as of now. So, I will wait. I intend to work till the last migrant reaches his hometown,” he said.
Talking about a sweet gesture by a migrant family, Sonu said, "One of the groups that I sent to Darbhanga on May 12 had two pregnant ladies in it. The group has reached home and this lady had her baby yesterday; The family called me to say that she has named her son Sonu Sood. I said, how can it be Sonu Sood as you are Shrivastav. It could probably be Sonu Shrivastav, but she said, ‘Nahi humney bachche ka naam Sonu Sood Shrivastav rakha hai. That was so sweet; I was touched.”