Actor and philanthropist Sonu Sood has found himself at the center of controversy after a video of him riding a motorcycle without a helmet in the Spiti Valley went viral. The clip, which shows Sood shirtless and dressed in shorts as he navigates the snow-covered mountain roads, has drawn both backlash and support on social media.

While the breathtaking landscape and Sood’s adventurous spirit captivated some viewers, others were quick to call out the actor’s disregard for basic road safety, particularly since Sood has previously championed safe driving and helmet use.

The viral video features on-screen text that reads, “Yeh Spiti hai… yahan sirf asli log chalte hain” (This is Spiti… only real people travel here). Though other clips from the same trip reportedly show Sood wearing a helmet, this specific footage, where he rides bareheaded, sparked intense debate online.

Likewise, Sonu Sood issued a clarification and said, "Safety First. We always abide by the laws, an old clip without the helmet was a part of our script. So kindly ignore. RIDE SAFE. RIDE SMART. ALWAYS WEAR A HELMET."