On Sunday, Sonu Sood with wife, Sonali, zoomed off to Hyderabad. They landed to find 20 people waiting for them at the airport. “I heard them out and tried to solve their problems before making my way to the hotel,” relayed the actor, who emerged as a hero, helping migrant workers reach home in the wake of the Coronavirus-triggered lockdown.

Interestingly, his philanthropic work during the last six months inspired the makers of his Telugu film — a sequel to the hit 2011 release Kandireega, which served as an inspiration for David and Varun Dhawan’s Main Tera Hero — to rework the script. “Despite having already completed 80 per cent of the film, the makers decided to make my character larger-than-life, based on the work that I’ve been doing. I’ll be facing the camera for the first time today and it will be with all new dialogues,” shares Sonu.

The actor will finish the one-week schedule in Hyderabad and return to Mumbai to resume shoot on Prithviraj on October 7 or 8. “Then I will return to Hyderabad. I also have a few ads to shoot for, which I will do in the evenings. Over the next few months, I’ll have to work double shifts,” he points out, adding that his busy schedule won’t stop him from helping people. “I’ll miss out on connecting with them when I return to the sets. But I have given access to all my social media handles to my team who will ensure that surgeries, admissions, and help continue. My work won’t stop,” he assures.

Ask him if the travelling made him and his wife paranoid, given that we are still in the midst of a pandemic and he agrees that there are fewer people at airports and those there, refrain from interacting. “All my fellow commuters seemed low, tired, and were travelling with a sense of urgency. I used to board flights three-four times a week, but yesterday, I took one after almost six months,” he admits, adding that having his wife by his side, proved to be a blessing both during the lockdown and on this trip.