Role during pandemic was most important of my career: Sonu Sood

Sonu Sood. Pic/Bipin Kokate

Actor Sonu Sood, who played good Samaritan during Covid-19 pandemic, said on Wednesday that this was the important role of his career. "I played many special roles in my films but the role I played during the pandemic is the most important role of my career. Almighty was directing me to do right thing in life. I would like to thank god for awakening me," he said.

The actor was addressing a function organised here by Cyberabad Police to felicitate frontline warriors and plasma donors. "When pandemic started I thought we should do our bit but I was clueless," said Sonu Sood, who recalled that he was moved by the plight of 350 workers in Thane who requested him to provide food for 10 days because they wanted go home in Karnataka by walk.

He approached the authorities and took permissions and arranged transport for this group. Realising that there are millions who are stuck across the country, he started connecting with others to help stranded migrant workers.

"We formed a toll free number and within one hour we received one lakh calls in one hour. My emails were floods with mails. My number was ringing every minute. I asked my secretary to ensure that no call go unanswered," he said. Sonu Sood said it was the most special moment 'to help guest workers because they were real heroes and were reason behind all our comforts'.

The actor said they could connect and send home over 7.26 lakh people. He then started receiving calls from students stuck abroad.

"Fourteen and half thousand students evacuated from like Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Georgia, Russia and Philippines."

He said after going back home, the migrant workers and others contacted him and requested for jobs. He recalled that 50 lakh applications for jobs were received in two and half days. He along with other good people connected with him provided employment to two lakh people.

Sonu Sood said people also started approaching him for help for medical treatment. He connected with some doctors, owners of hospitals and people who want to help. Every day 20-22 surgeries are being done for months.

"The first message of the pandemic is that life is not about buying good pair of shoes, clothes and holidays. It's about people waiting for that one call to happen. My mother used to tell me that you will be successful if you could help one person who not expecting your help."

The actor told the frontline workers and other felicitated on the occasion that society needs them more now than during the pandemic. "This is time they need you the most. Find people who need your help. There is hero in everyone of us. We have to identify it and inspire others."

"Together we can make huge difference to the society we are living in," he told the audience. Cyberabad Police and Society for Cyberabad Security Council organised the felicitation to recognise and appreciate all those who helped society through Police in various ways.

Cyberabad Police Commissioner V. C. Sajjanar felicitated Sonu Sood for all the good work he carried out so far. Sajjanar said that he could discover during the pandemic days that there were so many good and kind hearted people in the society.

"We were the first to send guest workers back to their homes by way of special trains. Three lakh guest workers were ferried in 40 trains to their home towns," he said.

Sajjanar recalled Cyberabad police were the first in India to set up a Covid Control Room in India in just one day after the lockdown was announced. The centre received 3,000 calls a day.

"We could able to stop commercialisation by setting up Plasma Hotline. Otherwise it would have been sold for, who knows may be for 80,000 or even more," Sajjanar said. Cyberabad Police could able to mobilise 8,000 units of plasma. Now the demand for it has come down drastically, he said

Sonu Sood felicitated DCPs, ACPs, senior police officers in Cyberabad limits. Several organisations and individuals too were felicitated for all their help during the pandemic.

Krishna Yedula, Secretary of Society for Cyberabad Security Council (SCSC) highlighted that they were able to provide 15 lakh meals and distribute 1.85 lakh grocery kits. Singer Smitha and music director Anup Ruben were also present. Singer Smitha shared how she could in her own small way serve the society.

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