Sonu special at IFFI

Nonika Singh 

From Moga to the 49th edition of International Film Festival of India in Goa, stands our very own Punjabi lad Sonu Sood! Amidst the bevy of stars, as big as Akshay Kumar, he may not be the cynosure of all eyes, but is certainly enjoying his place in the limelight. Saluting big-time action heroes of Bollywood, from Dharmendra to Ajay Devgn to Salman Khan to Akshay Kumar, Sonu’s was a specially designed capsule — a rare tribute at the inaugural function on Tuesday. 

Enacting out action heroes on stage, many of whom he grew up  idolising, and has today worked with as well, is rather heartening for the actor. 

Big B fan

Without a doubt, the tallest of them all, Amitabh Bachchan, figures on the top of his ‘my favourites’ list. Back in time, how Sonu loved to say his iconic dialogue ‘hum jahan khade hote hain line wahi se shuru hoti hai’. Today uttering the same on the stage is a big moment for Sonu. 

“Though growing up in my hometown in Punjab I did dream big, but who thought one day I would be hailing all my favourites at a stage as big as IFFI,” he beams.

Having worked with the ultimate action hero Jackie Chan in Kung Fu Yoga, who knows one day he might end up paying up a salutation to the legendary martial artist too! 

Happy space

Seriously, as other actors like Vicky Kaushal and Ayushmann Khurrana, are making giant strides in Bollywood, does he feel they have made an entry at a better point? Taking no offence at the ticklish query, he answers, “Everyone is destined to reach their mark. We all have our own place under the sun. The moot point is not how fast you reach a place or how much you achieve, but how long you survive.” 

Sonu definitely has had a marathon run; 100 films strong he is still raring to go and will soon be seen in Rohit Shetty’s Simmba. Equally special are his Punjabi fans, who he is determined to make even more proud. Oh, only if he had included a Punjabi punch-line too in his action-laden act! He might admit that with a tinge of regret… but nothing can take away his Punjabiyat. Once a Moga boy, always one!

nonikasingh@tribunemail.com