The joy I get from helping people like Sonu bhai, even a hit film doesn’t give:

Gurmeet Choudhary

Following in the footsteps of Sonu Sood, who has been helping people throughout the Covid pandemic, is actor Gurmeet Choudhary. He has made it official on his social media handles by writing, “I really want to help every1 of u in such curial time pls feel free to reach out to me I will try my best to help as many as I can @SonuSood bhai thank u for inspiring me.” (sic) He tells us the numerous messages he received on social media compelled him to start this. “For the last couple of days, people started asking me for help on Twitter. As an actor, you have powers. I tweeted and it was a big responsibility and commitment from my side. It’s my duty to help them. Of course, you can’t help everyone, so I assembled a team and circulated a number.

I am personally talking to people,” he says.

The 37-year-old says Sonu’s extraordinary efforts set an example. “I have worked with him in the film Paltan. Jab ek messiah inspire karta hai, aapko kuchh bada, unke level ka karna padhta hai. I challenged myself. The situation is bad. I haven’t slept for the past four-five days, and been up talking to people. People panic as well. Someone messaged at two in the night. I saw it, and called the person ‘Aapki sister meri sister ho gayi’. In these times, nothing is about religion or differences. If I can motivate someone through this, what can be better than that?,” says the actor.

We ask him if he is only limiting himself to people needing help with the Covid situation, or is he helping them in other aspects too. Choudhary says, “Right now, Covid is the biggest problem. The maximum problems are for beds, oxygen cylinders, so that is our priority. Ab main peechhe nahi hatne wala. This movement will go a lot far. I have been calling hospitals and telling them it is for my family, and not social media followers. After Covid too, our team will keep working, because people will need jobs too.”