As heart-wrenching visuals began streaming in of desperate migrant workers heading out of the cities to their hometowns on foot in the course of Lockdown 1, samaritans like Bollywood actor Sonu Sood stepped in.
It was the transport, rations and medical facilities among many other ways Sood helped thousands in need. Now he is out with a book titled I Am No Messiah, in which he shares the extraordinary experiences of his journey with journalist and author Meena K Iyer.
This inspirational story of Sood and of the people whose lives he continues to transform is honest to the core.
With his generosity, it appeared that this silver screen action hero transitioned into a real one.
He took to the streets and set up a dedicated team. He began his ‘Ghar Bhejo’ programme, carried out like a humanitarian mission.
There were chartered flights, buses and trains paid for and distress calls by the needy were answered. It was very soon that the movement snowballed into a campaign for providing jobs, medical facilities and educational aid to workers. The actor touched many lives.
Sonu says, “While 2020 has been a challenging year in many ways, it has offered me an opportunity to reach out to millions of people directly. During the course of this journey, I have learnt and gained a lot from them. I have shared my experiences in my memoirs I Am No Messiah, and it is heartening to see the support the book is receiving not just from book readers but various organisations and institutes who truly believe in our efforts to help people during these difficult times.”
I Am No Messiah By Sonu Sood and Meena K Iyer
Publisher: Penguin Random House
Pages: 256 Price: Rs 399