‘We still get calls from migrants asking for help’

Since early May, actor Sonu Sood has been helping migrant workers stuck in Mumbai due to the lockdown, return to their home towns in various states of the country. He arranged for buses, train travel and even flew some of them from Kerala to Odisha. But, it was surprising to know that even post Unlock 1.0, and relaxed regulations, the good samaritan is continuing to send people, who can’t afford it on their own, back to their home towns. As recent as last week, he arranged for 2,000 people to go to Uttarakhand and later, 2,400 people to go to Bihar.

“There are many people who, even today, want to go back home as Maharashtra hasn’t opened up completely.

They are struggling while living in confined spaces, with eight to ten people in one room, and want to go back to their villages,” says Sood.

The actor’s Twitter handle and a helpline number that he shared have been getting numerous requests. “We get hundreds and thousands of calls every day, even today, requesting us to send them back as Mumbai might not completely open very soon. There are a number of people in shelter homes and others stuck in places such as Nalasopara, Vasai and Palghar, who are asking for help. We check their details and make arrangements, accordingly.”

While people are leaving the city, once the lockdown ends, they might also want to come back. Sood, 46, admits that the people leaving Mumbai do want to return to the city, but only once they have their jobs back. “If need be, I will help them get back to Mumbai, too,” Sood says, adding, “I feel really blessed whenever I go to see them off at railway stations and bus stops. I must have done something good in life that I got the opportunity to help all these people. This is one of the most special phases of my life and I can’t put it in words. I feel like I have families across the country now.”