The façade of Sonu Sood, the supposed messiah of the weaklings of the society is slowly peeling off. After gaining traction and truckloads of publicity during the first wave of the coronavirus pandemic, the Bollywood actor is now simply leveraging his reach to multiply his popularity — often using his PR team to boast about himself. The PR team of Sonu Sood recently put up a post on his public Facebook account where a cartoon of Bharat Mata can be seen folding her hands and bowing in front of Sonu Sood.
The image tries to depict that Sonu Sood has become greater than the country for the work he has done for the public. Safe to say, the netizens weren’t impressed with Sonu’s boastful tendencies. BJP leader Prajwal Busta took to Twitter to condemn Sonu’s narcissistic behaviour.
“I think @SonuSood PR team has gone too far. This post is posted on official FB page of @SonuSoodIt depicts Bharat Mata folding hands in front of him & thanking for his efforts. Charity is one thing, Narcissism is another. We appreciate ur work but this is not acceptable!” tweeted Prajwal.
I think @SonuSood PR team has gone too far.
This post is posted on official FB page of @SonuSood
It depicts Bharat Mata folding hands in front of him & thanking for his efforts.Charity is one thing,Narcissism is another.
We appreciate ur work but this is not acceptable! pic.twitter.com/7vzbt4XsfM
— Prajwal Busta 🇮🇳 (Modi Ka Parivar) (@PrajwalBusta) May 11, 2021
Similarly, Charu Pragya, National Incharge (Legal), Bharatiya Janata YuvaMorcha (BJYM), who has been working around the clock to help patients find beds and oxygen reminded Sonu that service is done by bowing, not by making someone bow in front of you. “This cartoon should have been of @SonuSood folding his hands in front of Bharat Mata. Sevajhuk ke hotihai, jhuka ke nahi. Folded hands” tweeted Charu.
Other journalists also took offence at Sonu’s senseless post and asked him to wield some maturity while posting such photos.
.@SonuSood , pls seek respect not attention. It lasts longer🙏
People who shine from within dont need spotlight
Heartbreaking to see pompous toon showing BharatMata grovelling before you for help
Time people must distance from those who seek attention to turn adversity into op https://t.co/eo5mYA73kf
— Rohan Dua (@rohanduaT02) May 12, 2021
It has been time and again insinuated that Sonu Sood only masquerades as a good Samaritan working for the welfare of the public, while his PR team creates an elaborate social media echo chamber, aided by bots, where he reaps the rewards without doing any meaningful work.
Recently, a Twitter user, named Umey Abhishek Rajput took to the platform to seek help in arranging plasma for a Covid-19 positive patient named Reena Solanki. Abhishek shared the requisite details such as the name and location of the hospital, the telephone numbers of the patient attendees, and the blood group of the patient whilst also tagging actor Sonu Sood in his tweet.
https://twitter.com/Umey_Abhishek/status/1389251146347257860
About 12 hours later on Tuesday, Sonu Sood responded to his message for help. He informed the Twitter user that he had arranged plasma for the patient named Reena Solanki. In a tweet, the actor said, “Plasma is arranged. Speedy recovery.”
Plasma is arranged ✅
Speedy recovery 🙏@dua_swayam@SoodFoundation https://t.co/g2WQ5zqs97— sonu sood (@SonuSood) May 4, 2021
However, Abhishek deflated Sonu’s claims by clarifying that the patient’s family had received no plasma up until that point, contrary to the claims made by the actor. He tweeted, “Sorry @SonuSood sir, but family has no information for arrangment of plasma. Please help”
https://twitter.com/Umey_Abhishek/status/1389447998535467009
Similarly, in another case, a netizen named Social Worker Manoj took to Twitter on May 9 at 1:04 AM by tagging Sonu Sood and requesting a bed for a patient whose SpO2 levels had dropped to drastic levels.
@SonuSood
Patient name – K RAVINDRAN
Age – 54
Area location – RAMAMURTHYNAGAR, Benglore
Symptoms – FEVER
SpO2 level – 52
Covid result – POSITIVE
Prefer govt or private hospital – ANY
Attender mobile no. – 9945518248
SRF ID – 2749700778658
BU number – 893212
@GovindAgarwal_— Social Worker Manoj (@ManojWorker) May 8, 2021
The actor responded to the tweet in the morning at 9 AM by claiming that through his organisation, the patient had found the bed, “Sometimes it’s good to be awake at night. Got you a bed at excel care hospitals @SoodFoundation” tweeted Sonu.
Sometimes it's good to be awake at night.
Got you a bed at excel care hospitals @SoodFoundation https://t.co/i2KU6M4b8Q— sonu sood (@SonuSood) May 9, 2021
However, a vigilant Twitter user pointed out that the patient had passed away in the night at 3 am and that they had confirmed the same by talking to the patient’s family. “Congratulations to your PR Team @SonuSood We checked with Patient family to know that patient had died at 3am And you got them bed at 9am.. Kya Baat Hai..” tweeted Shishir.
Congratulations to your PR Team @SonuSood
We checked with Patient family to know that patient had died at 3am
And you got them bed at 9am.. Kya Baat Hai..
— Shishir Hegde #VishnugupthaVishwaVidyapeetha 🇮🇳 (@shishir_heg) May 9, 2021
This is the 2nd clarification with the family member.
This has English subtitles too. Kindly check and verify for yourselves.. pic.twitter.com/npVmutUK9z— Shishir Hegde #VishnugupthaVishwaVidyapeetha 🇮🇳 (@shishir_heg) May 9, 2021
After facing a deluge of criticism for falsely claiming to help the patient, Sonu came out with another tweet where he pretended that he arranged the bed for the patient at 12 AM on May 9.
Had got him at bed last night at 12 am and just got to know he brethed his last at 3.30 am last night.
Life is unfair.
May his soul rest in peace 🙏 https://t.co/mLfSP2OYzr— sonu sood (@SonuSood) May 9, 2021
However, as mentioned earlier, the distress call was sent at 1 AM in the night. So, a time-travelling Sonu Sood arranged for the bed, before any request was made.
He asked for your help thru a tweet at 1:04 am. How did you get him a bed at 12 am? Full 1 hour before he actually asked for your help! How? pic.twitter.com/PJ74RZmqq9
— THE SKIN DOCTOR (@theskindoctor13) May 9, 2021
Last year, another controversy had erupted after Sonu allegedly helped the migrant workers reach their homes. Hundreds of tweets sent out by the supposed aggrieved individuals were deleted soon after Sonu replied to it and gained social media points. Netizens had accused Sonu of planting tweets and using them to increase his popularity.
There is no denying the fact that Sonu Sood might have helped few individuals during the pandemic and props need to be given for that. However, by milking a humanely gesture to resuscitate his sleepy film career, and publish gloating autobiographies, Sonu is tarnishing his image.
By falsely claiming to help the patients and their families for whom every minute is precious, Sonu has come across as downright disgusting and apathetic.
