Birthday Boy Sonu Sood—who turns 48 today but looks no more than 30—has a lot to be proud of.
When I call him to wish him for his birthday Sonu agrees with me. “You’re right. This year has been…how do I put it?…life-changin… I don’t think I’ve felt so special in any of my birthdays so far. The past year when I had the opportunity to help so many people transformed my life forever. I feel I am born-again this birthday.”
There are as many people outside Sonu’s home in Mumbai waiting for a glimpse of their idol as there are at Shah Rukh Khan’s residence on his birthday.
Sonu responds with gratitude. “It’s all God’s blessings, Sir. People are waiting since early morning to meet me on this my special day. Many of them have come from far-away places with hope in their eyes . They are coming even as we talk . It is not possible for me to meet them all through the day. So I will go out once or maybe twice and a cut a cake with them. I don’t want any of them to return disappointed.”
How does Sonu look back on the past year? “As a blessing, a gift from God. A chance to give back to people the love they’ve given me. My parents are not with me on this special day. But I can feel their hand over my head. Whatever good deeds I’ve done is a result of the values my parents inculcated in me.”
Sonu has not forgotten the good deed of the day . “Today we are inaugurating an oxygen plant in a hospital in Mangalore. I wish I could be in Mangalore for this. But there are so many visitors here in Mumbai for my birthday. They would be sorely disappointed if I was not at home.”
His birthday wish? “To continue working for the needy. Also to see more people coming forward to do the same and less people passing snide comments on social media about people trying to make this world a better place.”
