Bollywood star Aamir Khan has reacted to activist Sonam Wangchuk‘s ongoing hunger strike and expressed his concern for his health and well-being.The actor, who was attending the London India Film Festival, at the British Film Institute in London, sat down for a candid conversation, where he spoke about his films and journey in the Bollywood industry. During a Q&A with the audience, the actor was asked about the long standing belief that his iconic ‘3 Idiots’ character, Phunsukh Wangdu, was based on the Ladakh-based innovator Wangchuk.
Aamir Khan DENIES that ‘3 Idiots’ was based on Sonam Wangchuk
A video of Aamir’s interaction was shared on X by journalist Nabanita Sircar, who wrote, “Today at @BFI I asked Mr Amir Khan about @Wangchuk66 and his fast. Here is his response.”In the clip, Aamir was asked about the widely held perception that his film character was inspired by Sonam Wangchuk. Responding to the claim, the actor said, “No! That is not true, actually. That is the misconception.”He went on to explain, “I didn’t know about Mr Sonam at that time when we were doing the film ‘3 Idiots’. I know I saw a video of Chatur, just recently, he said ‘No, he is wrong’. Maybe that is what Chatur was thinking, but I want to tell you that neither director Rajkumar Hirani, nor writer Abhijat Joshi, nor I… we didn’t know about Mr Sonam. However, what Mr Sonam is doing is good work in any case. He doesn’t have to be based on the character of ‘3 Idiots’ for us to respect him.”
Aamir Khan expresses concern for Sonam Wangchuk’s health
When asked if this had been clarified before, Aamir reiterated, “Just from a factual point of view… In fact, Mr Sonam had said this. He also said that the character is not based on him.”The actor was also asked about Wangchuk’s hunger strike, which has now entered its 19th day. Expressing concern, Aamir said, “Well, I think all of us are concerned for his health and his life. We hope that it ends well and all of us are hoping that he ends his fast.”
Did Sonam Wangchuk inspire Phunsukh Wangdu?
For years, many believed that Khan’s character Phunsukh Wangdu in Rajkumar Hirani’s 2009 blockbuster ‘3 Idiots’ was modelled on Sonam Wangchuk, whose work in education and sustainable innovation has earned global recognition.The debate resurfaced recently after actor Omi Vaidya, who played the memorable character Chatur Ramalingam in the film, voiced his support for Wangchuk and referred to the popular belief that the film’s character was based on the activist.
Sonam Wangchuk denies Phunsukh Wangdu connection
However, Wangchuk had also clarified that the character is not a big-screen adaptation of his life. Speaking about the frequent comparison during an appearance on ‘Kaun Banega Crorepati’, Wangchuk had said, “If you say inspired, then I won’t deny it. A lot of people say the film is based on me, but I don’t agree with that. The right word is that it may have been inior influenced. At the same time, I don’t want people in this country to accept something simply because it is associated with a film. So even if the film is influenced by me, I am not very proud of it. And if it is not inspired by me, I don’t regret it either.”
‘3 Idiots: Part 2’ in the works
Meanwhile, according to the latest reports, Aamir Khan and director Rajkumar Hirani are currently busy working on the sequel, with principal photography slated to begin in late 2026.
