DNA Exclusive: Sonu Sood tells why he decided to help people during COVID-19

Bollywood actor Sonu Sood, who had been helping migrants reach their houses safely, has joined hands with Uprise India Initiative to provide employment to the needy. "It is commendable how Akash Shukla has helped me, and how Uprise India has come up with the start-ups. We guide the people who apply for employment through us. It's just great," said Sonu.

However, in a scenario where people are losing jobs, how did Sonu Sood manage to help people with employment? The actor, who has been receiving requests from all across India, answered the question, while revealing his future plans for the migrant workers too.

"People from all across are outside my house, asking for help of all kinds," said Sonu Sood as he went ahead and spoke to DNA about the initiative and his plans ahead.

Here are some excerpts from his interview:

It started with food drives. We (me and a few people I know) used to do food drives in huge numbers and then realized that many want to even go back to their homes, so it (the process of helping migrant workers) began.

2) While you have been actively in news for helping people reach their homes safely, or help someone with monetary needs, there isn't much detail about how many have been employed through you yet. So can you give me the data?

We are still collecting the data, but I believe we were able to employ 18-20,000 people. Almost a lakh applications have come in. We aim to receive crore applications within six months.

3) Is the employment benefit only for a particular department or anybody could benefit from the scheme?

It actually began to help the migrants. It did start with blue collars, but now we even have white collars among others.

4) While you have contributed for people outside the industry, have you also been actively involved in helping those affected within the industry?

Yes, of course. From dancers to spotboys, lightmen, camera crew - we have been actively involved in helping them all.

5) After you have helped somebody, have you received a very special gift that you could talk about?

Everything they do is very special, but I think people opening workshops and roads motivate me to do better.

6) You have been called messiah, Superman and a real-life hero. Does it sometimes become stressful to live up to the expectations?

There is a huge amount of responsibility that comes to your shoulder. I can make things happen. I can live up to that. It is a challenge sure, but I am up for it.

7) In a scenario where people are losing jobs, how is it that you are creating employment opportunities?

We just need to connect people in the right path. Sometimes they are based in Lucknow but there are jobs in Mumbai. So we just need to connect them to employer.

8) So you transfer them from through cities too?

Yes, yeah we do.

9) Receiving requests 24x7, how do you decide which is genuine and which isn't?

I think that comes with experience. We ask for reports and details. Once we take a detailed look at it, we understand who should we help.

10) Any other future endeavours you wanna divulge into?

There are many things I am looking forward to - most of it even coming together.

11) Is there any thing that we can see happening in the near future?

I want to do something in education, actually. I want to help children through online classes, but waiting for it to chalk out completely.