Sonu Sood to Shah Rukh Khan: How Bollywood stars went beyond donating money to help during the COVID-19 crisis

The coronavirus-crisis saw many Bollywood stars rising to the occasion and proving that they were more than just on-screen heroes. From Sonu Sood helping migrants get home to Shah Rukh Khan reaching out and rescuing an orphaned child, Akshay Kumar making donations that went beyond money, we've compiled a list of how B-town stars lent a helping hand to those in need during this pandemic.

Bollywood's on-screen villain, Sonu Sood turned into a real-life hero when he went out of his way to get migrant labourers home by bus, train and even airlifting a few. That's not all, the actor also provided the labourers with food, water and sanitizers to ensure they have a safe and comfortable trip back home.

At a time when all of B-town is shelling out big bucks, Shah Rukh Khan, through his foundation has been extending his support to all the needy. Besides lending his office space as a COVID quarantine centre, the actor made headlines when he and his team helped reunite an orphaned child with his grandparents. The child in question was the same boy who in a heart-wrenching viral video was seen trying to wake up his deceased mother. Moved by the video King Khan was happy to inform that the child is now under the care of his grandparents. “ We all pray he finds strength to deal with the most unfortunate loss of a parent. I know how it feels...,” Khan said in his post.

Akshay Kumar has been one of the regulars hitting the headlines for his more than generous deeds. Besides donating huge sums of money to various COVID relief funds, he also helped the BMC procure Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), masks, and rapid testing kits. The actor also donated 1000 wrist bands to the Mumbai Police for detecting coronavirus symptoms to help prevent the spread of the virus.

During the lockdown, we all saw Salman Khan become everyone's constant source of entertainment through his many song releases. The star also won hearts when he made sure to donate tractor loads of food and essential products to the underprivileged people living in Panvel. As he launched his new band, the star also donated 1 lakh sanitizer bottles to the Mumbai police that was greatly appreciated by the police and even the Maharashtra CM.

Ajay Devgn played a knight in shining armour when he covered costs to provide a quarantine centre in Mumbai's Dharavi area with oxygen cylinders for 200 beds and two portable ventilators. Besides that, the actor also helped provide rations to needy families through an NGO.

Varun Dhawan marked his birthday in April by pledging monetary support to aid COVID relief efforts and also vouched to donate money and food to the daily wage workers affected due to the lockdown.

Anushka Sharma and her cricketer hubby Virat Kohli made headlines when they donated a sizeable amount to various COVID relief funds. Apart from helping out the needy, the actress also promoted the cause of animal welfare, and not only did her bit to support NGOs providing food for stray animals around various cities but also encouraged fans to do the same if not donate to noble causes.

Priyanka Chopra may have been in the USA during the lockdown, but that didn't stop her from extending her help and support to those in need in India. The actress reportedly helped provide 10,000 pairs of footwear to brave frontline workers in Los Angeles and sent out an additional 10,000 pairs to healthcare professionals in public/government hospitals across India. Not just that, she even teamed up with a headphone company to provide headphones to children who were adapting to the new virtual classrooms owing to the lockdown.