Aamir Khan Says '3 Idiots' Was NOT Inspired By Sonam Wangchuk, 'I Didn't Even Know Him At The Time'
Amid the growing public backlash over Aamir Khan's silence about Sonam Wangchuk's hunger strike, the superstar has addressed the 'misconception' surrounding his '3 Idiots' character.
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Add BollywoodShaadis on GoogleAamir Khan has been getting public backlash for the past few days over his alleged silence about Sonam Wangchuk, the educator and activist whose hunger strike entered its 19th day today. The criticism intensified this week after Omi Vaidya's public appeal in support of Wangchuk, urging, "I don't want Phunsukh Wangdu to die."
Omi, who played 'Chatur Ramalingam' in Rajkumar Hirani's 2009 blockbuster 3 Idiots, implied that the character of 'Phunsukh Wangdu' aka 'Rancho', played by Aamir Khan, was inspired by the real-life story of Sonam Wangchuk. However, now the superstar says it was not the case.
Aamir Khan says Sonam Wangchuk did not inspire 3 Idiots
Speaking during a question-and-answer session at the British Film Institute following a special screening of Lagaan, Aamir Khan dismissed the widely circulated claim, calling it a "misconception." Responding to a question about Wangchuk and the inspiration behind 3 Idiots, Aamir said neither he nor the film's creators knew the activist while making the 2009 blockbuster.
"No, that's not true, actually. That is a misconception. I didn't know about Mr. Sonam Wangchuk at that time when we were doing the film," Aamir said.
The actor also addressed recent comments by his 3 Idiots co-star Omi Vaidya's claim that the character 'Phunsukh Wangdu' was based on the activist. He added that Wangchuk himself has previously stated the character was not based on him. He clarified:
"I saw a video of Chatur just recently... No, he's wrong. Maybe that's what Chatur was thinking, but I want to tell you neither did Raju, nor Abhijat, nor I—we didn't know about Sonam... Just from the factual point of view, I wanted to clarify."
3 Idiots continues to remain one of the most popular movies of all time. With so many years having gone by, the film hasn’t lost even a bit of its reverence in the hearts of the fans.
While the movie talked a great deal about parental pressures prevalent in the education society of our country, it also, at length, lauded education reformists like Sonam Wangchuk, who thought to change the medium of study into something more in-depth and fun-based. However, as the actor himself has mentioned, 'Rancho' was not entirely based on Wangchuk.
In a previous interview, Sonam Wangchuk himself had agreed that the character of 'Rancho' bore little resemblance to his life story. Speaking to HT, he mentioned that it was not a biopic or based on his life, adding that people should treat the film as nothing more than a story for entertainment.
Aamir expresses concern over Sonam Wangchuk's health
Although he rejected the connection between 3 Idiots and Wangchuk, Aamir praised the activist's work and urged him to end his indefinite fast. "However, what Mr. Sonam is doing is good work anyway. He doesn't need to be based on the character of 3 Idiots for us to respect him and the work he's done," he said.
Addressing Wangchuk's deteriorating health, the actor added, "All of us are very concerned about his health and his life. We hope that it ends well. All of us are hoping that he ends his fast and looks after himself."
The controversy gained momentum after Omi Vaidya shared a video supporting Wangchuk's hunger strike, urging people not to let "Phunsukh Wangdu die." His comments reignited the long-running belief that the beloved 3 Idiots protagonist was modeled after the Ladakh-based innovator and education reformer.
For years, fans have linked Wangchuk to the character because of his work in alternative education and innovation. However, Wangchuk himself has previously maintained that while the film may have been influenced by some of his ideas, the character was not directly based on his life.
The activist has been on an indefinite hunger strike since June 28, 2026, as part of a larger movement demanding accountability over alleged irregularities in the NEET examination system and broader education reforms.
Several Bollywood personalities, including Imran Khan, Sonakshi Sinha, Aditi Rao Hydari, Fatima Sana Shaikh, Vivek Oberoi and Aayush Sharma, have publicly voiced support for Wangchuk and appealed for his well-being.
What is your take on Aamir Khan's comments about Sonam Wangchuk's ongoing hunger strike?
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