Sonu Sood has carved a niche for himself in Bollywood. The credit goes to the actor’s hard work and sheer dedication to his craft. His acting prowess in popular films has been lauded time and again by the audience. However, he is also known to be a man with a heart of gold. Sonu Sood has earned the title of a real-life hero for his humanitarian activities during the COVID-19 pandemic. When the world was battling the deadly virus, the actor extended help to the needy amid the nationwide lockdown. On the occasion of his 51st birthday today, July 31, let’s take a look at the actor’s journey to stardom, top films, upcoming projects, and his numerous philanthropic activities.
Sonu Sood’s Journey
Hailing from Moga, Punjab, Sonu Sood was born on July 30, 1973. His father Shakti Sagar Sood ran a garment shop and his mother Saroj Sood was a teacher. He also has a sister Monika who is a scientist by profession. While pursuing his graduation in Engineering from Yeshwantrao Chavan College of Engineering, Nagpur, Sonu started his career with modelling.
In 1996, Sonu tied the knot with Sonali Shirdhar, who hails from Andhra Pradesh. The duo fell in love when Sonu was pursuing engineering at the same college as Sonali.
In 1999, Sonu Sood made his acting debut with the Tamil film Kallazhagar and after that, there was no looking back. He appeared in several regional films like Nenjinile, Hands Up, and Majunu. Sonu’s foray into Bollywood came with the film Shaheed-E-Azam in 2002. He played the role of Bhagat Singh in the film.
Sonu Sood shot to fame after essaying the character of Abhishek Bachchan’s on-screen brother in the 2004 film Yuva. He even received much praise for the 2005 romantic thriller Aashiq Banaya Aapne. After that, Sonu appeared in several big-budget films like Jodhaa Akbar
Shootout at Wadala, Dabangg, Singh is Kinng, Happy New Year, and Simmba. Throughout his journey in Bollywood and Tollywood, he has essayed both the roles of a protagonist and a villain. However, it was his negative character portrayals that deserve a special mention.
Sonu Sood was also a part of the reality show MTV Roadies Season 19 and 20 where he was a judge.
Sonu Sood’s Top Films
- DabanggWho can forget Sonu Sood’s performance as Chedi Singh in Salman Khan-starrer Dabangg? The actor received many plaudits for his performance in the film. Helmed by Abhinav Singh Kashyap the actioner also starred Sonakshi Sinha, Arbaaz Khan, Vinod Khanna and Mahesh Manjrekar in pivotal roles.
- ArundhatiSonu Sood’s role as an antagonist in the Telugu horror fantasy film Arundhati was widely appreciated by the audience and critics alike. He also bagged the Andhra Pradesh State Nandi Award for Best Villain and the Filmfare Award for Best Supporting Actor – Telugu for his performance in the film.
- Aashiq Banaya AapneDirected by Aditya Datt, the 2005 romantic thriller film starred Sonu Sood, Emraan Hashmi and Tanushree Dutta. It followed a love triangle between their characters. The film is still remembered due to its amazing songs.
- Shootout at WadalaIn this 2013 action crime film, Sonu portrayed a gangster, Dilawar Imtiaz Haksar. His role was reportedly inspired by gang lord Dawood Ibrahim. Helmed by Sanjay Gupta, the film also starred John Abraham, Manoj Bajpayee, Anil Kapoor, Tusshar Kapoor, Ronit Roy and Kangana Ranaut in crucial roles.
- SimmbaSonu Sood was a part of Rohit Shetty’s cop universe aka Simmba. He played the antagonist in the action film alongside Ranveer Singh. It also featured Sara Ali Khan as the female lead.
Sonu Sood’s Upcoming Films
FATEH
Sonu will be next seen in the crime thriller Fateh opposite Jacqueliene Fernandez. The film also marks his directorial debut. The official release date of Fateh is yet to be revealed.
Sonu Sood’s Humanitarian Work
Sonu Sood has won the hearts of millions with his humanitarian works, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) recognized him with the SDG Special Humanitarian Action Award for the initiative he and his team took during the pandemic.
TRANSPORTATION FOR MIGRANTS
During the COVID-19 pandemic, when there was no transportation available, Sonu Sood arranged transportation services for lakhs of migrants to send them back to their native places. Not just that, he also arranged charted flights for the students who were stranded in Kyrgyzstan.
FREE MEDICAL CAMPS
In 2020, Sonu Sood organised free medical camps across the country to treat and offer medical aid to over 50,000 needy people.
PARVASI ROJGAAR APP
For the migrants who lost their jobs during the COVID pandemic, Sonu Sood introduced the Pravasi Rojgaar app that enabled the workers to find suitable jobs.
PROF SAROJ SOOD SCHOLARSHIP
Sonu Sood also started a special scholarship programme for students pursuing higher education. The actor named the initiative after his late mother, Professor Saroj Sood.
OFFERED HELP TO HEALTH WORKERS
Health workers were facing several challenges during the COVID-19 lockdown. During that time Sonu Sood opened the doors of his Juhu hotel to accommodate the medical warriors who treated patients at the place. He also donated face shields and PPE kits to them.
SHAKTI ANNADANAM SCHEME
During the lockdown period, Sonu Sood introduced the Shakti Annadanam Scheme. He named the scheme in memory of his late father, Shakti Sagar Sood, to provide food to over 45,000 people in Mumbai every day.
DONATED SMARTPHONES
Due to the lockdown, all the academic classes were held online. However, many pupils were not able to afford smartphones or laptops. During that time, Sonu Sood distributed thousands of smartphones to underprivileged kids whose studies were being hampered.
Sonu Sood Foundation
Sonu Sood continues to do humanitarian work with his NGO, Sood Charity Foundation, which aims to improve the lives of the underprivileged by providing them with the necessary resources to live a healthy and productive life.