Sonu Sood, who helped stranded migrant workers reach their homes during the pandemic, resumed work soon after shoots were allowed to commence. However, that didn’t stop him from continuing with his acts of kindness. These days, he is often called ‘Super Sood’, by people for his charitable work. “It’s funny, I remember when I came to Mumbai, people told me there can’t be an actor named Sonu Sood and I did think of changing my name to a fashionable one at that time. But in the end, I decided to stick with Sonu, and now I think my parents did a good job of naming me thus,” says Sonu with a smile.

Despite his hectic schedule, Sonu ensures that he keeps in touch with his friends. In fact, the actor was recently in Lucknow for the wedding of his close friend’s daughter. Sonu says, “This friend has been like a family to me for the past 38 years and this is a very special moment in their life so I wanted to be part of it. Friendship means a lot to me. I believe that’s what matters; when you have started your a journey as a common man. These are the people who were with you at that time, they will always stay with you.”

Sonu says, “I really value these friends of mine. They have been with me since I was in school and I was a nobody.”

From a lanky hoodlum who confronted Abhishek Bachchan in Yuva to the macho Chhedi Singh in Dabangg, we have seen Sonu playing mostly negative characters in Bollywood films. With him playing good Samaritan in real life, we ask him if the image is spilling over in offers of film roles too. “Yes, now I do get scripts that are of larger-than-life kind of roles, where I am the hero. People have loved me in my negative roles too, but when brands approached me, they would say, ‘Oh, but he’s done that negative role and how can he endorse our product’. And now I am endorsing a lot of products. And the films that I’m being offered now are positive roles — larger-than-life heroes, real heroes and super heroes, too! I’ve locked two scripts, so hopefully we’ll have two releases coming up this year and two next year. So definitely a new innings has started for me as an actor,” says Sonu with a smile.

We hear a biopic is also being planned on him. “Several, big production houses have offered to make a biopic on me. In fact, a big Hollywood production house said that the whole world is talking about an individual who came out in the pandemic, so people want to know that person’s story. We’ve had creative discussions, and if everything falls into place, let’s see,” says Sonu.

When pointed that there is a general assumption that he will also star in the biopic, he says, “I don’t know whether I will be there in the film. People say who better than you knows this role, but, like I said, the script is magical. I’ve lived these times, I’ve experienced not sleeping for days, being on the roads for hours, and I have boarded thousands of migrants every day. They used to be with me in my car at the time when people would be scared to be near anyone. So, I really don’t know whether I’ll be able to do it all over again on screen.”

There was a movement on social media for Sonu to be given a civilian award, so was he disappointed when he wasn’t? “The fact that people even feel that about me is my real award. I get calls and messages of people wanting to honour me or give me some award, I tell them to help hundreds and thousands of people wanting medical help. Sponsor a patient, pay money to a hospital and help save someone’s life. That will be the best award or felicitation for me.”

Having helped people the way he has, from installing handpumps in villages, to giving bicycles to villagers or even providing a rifle to an aspiring player, we ask him how these experiences have impacted him and Sonu says, “Mera nazariya badal gaya hai hai zindagi aur logon ki taraf. I came to Mumbai a long time back, but I reinvented myself during the lockdown when I met these millions of migrants — it was magical when I connected with them. When I saw these people walking to their villages with their children and without any means, those images were very disturbing and I thought to myself that this is not something I can sit at home and crib about. I need to come out and help them. And that’s why I did what I did and I’m thankful to god that he guided me and we could help almost a million people and save so many lives. And now, the path that I’ve been shown by these circumstances in the past one year, I think, will lead me to the place I belong to in future.”

He goes on to add that there is also a noticeable change in the pre and post-pandemic Sonu. “I would say I have become more resourceful. Earlier I had this small circle of friends and acquaintances, but now I know people across the country. It has given me confidence that I can connect with anyone that I need to at any time. I have the courage and confidence to do things I couldn’t earlier. I now believe that when you really want to do something, you can. You just have to take one step forward and things will fall in place and there will be others following you. Earlier I wanted to do things, now I am doing it, that’s the difference.”