A recent episode of the television show Wheel of Fortune featured a heartfelt moment when senior journalist Sonal Kalra shared a personal anecdote about Akshay Kumar, shedding light on the actor’s approach to philanthropy.
Kalra, who said she has known the actor for nearly two decades, recounted an incident from the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown in India. During that time, several regions of the country were also grappling with severe floods, particularly in Bihar and Assam. “A lot of people have seen one side of Akshay, but I’ve been his friend for about 20 years,” Kalra said on the show. “So I know another side of him, the one he doesn’t really like people talking about. But since I’m standing here in front of everyone, he can’t stop me today.”
Kalra then described how a conversation during the lockdown unexpectedly led to a relief contribution. “I told Akshay how worried people were during the lockdown, and at the same time Bihar and Assam were facing devastating floods,” Kalra said. “Suddenly he asked me, ‘Can you find the Chief Minister’s office number for me?’” According to Kalra, she arranged the contact through her sources and passed it on. “Within a few hours, a political journalist friend called me asking if it was true that Akshay Kumar had donated 1 crore each to the Chief Minister Relief Funds of Bihar and Assam,” she recalled.
When Kalra later reached out to Kumar to confirm the news, she said he attempted to downplay the gesture. “He said, ‘No, no… I have given the money, but it’s not a donation,’” she recounted. Responding on stage, the actor elaborated on why he avoids using the terms “charity” or “donation.” “I have always believed the word ‘charity’ or ‘donation’ is the worst word. When you give something to someone, it’s actually your good fortune that you’re able to do it,” Kumar said. He further added, “God has made you capable of serving someone. So instead of saying donation, you should say you got the chance to serve.”
The conversation drew an emotional reaction from the audience and offered insight into Kumar’s personal philosophy of giving—one that he describes not as charity, but as an opportunity for service.
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