It’s two years into an ongoing pandemic. The sense of urgency has only increased.
When I found my calling on April 15, 2020 at a traffic junction in Kalwa, on the outskirts of Mumbai asking me to help the thousands who had started trekking towards their hometowns because Mumbai was ravaged by Covid-19.
I knew, I would never be the same again.
I said it in my book—I’m No Messiah. I’m repeating myself. Honestly, I shudder to imagine how empty my life would have been if I too had chosen to continue basking in the attention that comes to us film stars. But it was as if destiny had willed that I had to go beyond stardom to find my raison d’etre. In fact, use my stardom to discover why karma had placed me in a position of power to use it altruistically.
I find so much joy in giving, what do I tell you? It’s an indescribable emotion. My earlier acts of ‘charity’ which I did paled because there was so much more to be done. Everyday I receive hundreds of calls for help—medical, education, humanitarian, mental well-being, the list is long. Am I being able to help everyone? No. However, the attempt is to help as many as I can. I also continuously remember an excuse all self-respecting individuals hid behind. It went—Oh, I’m not about to call a stranger to ask for help for another stranger. Now I don’t hesitate. The one seeking my help/attention is someone I have never met. The one whom I approach to help that person—be it doctor, college principal, diplomat or individual who has more connections than I do, is also a stranger. But since the urgency is so strong; I have no issues being the person in between. Suddenly, the world has no strangers. All of us givers can connect to someone somewhere and help ease a life.
Disclaimer
Views expressed above are the author’s own.
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