Aamir Khan Clarifies ‘3 Idiots’ Was Not Inspired By Sonam Wangchuk, Urges Activist To End Hunger Strike

New Delhi, Jul 17: Bollywood actor Aamir Khan has clarified that his iconic character Rancho (Phunsukh Wangdu) in the 2009 blockbuster 3 Idiots was not based on education reformer and climate activist Sonam Wangchuk, calling the long-standing belief a “misconception.” Speaking during a Q&A session at the London Indian Film Festival, Khan said neither director Rajkumar Hirani nor writer Abhijat Joshi, nor he himself, knew Wangchuk while making the film. “No, that’s not true. That is a misconception. We didn’t know Mr. Sonam when we were making 3 Idiots. Neither Raju, Abhijat nor I knew him at that time,” Khan said. He added that Wangchuk’s work deserves admiration regardless of any perceived connection with the film. “What Mr. Sonam is doing is commendable. He doesn’t have to be the inspiration behind 3 Idiots for us to respect him and the work he is doing,” the actor said. Khan also dismissed a recent claim by his 3 Idiots co-star Omi Vaidya, who had shared a video on social media suggesting that Rancho was inspired by Wangchuk. “I recently saw Chatur’s video. He is wrong,” Khan remarked. Expressing concern over Wangchuk’s deteriorating health, Khan appealed to the activist to end his indefinite hunger strike. “I think all of us are very concerned about his health. We hope everything ends well. We sincerely hope he ends his fast and takes care of his health,” he said. Wangchuk has been on an indefinite hunger strike at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar since June 28 after joining the Cockroach Janata Party’s (CJP) protest demanding the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over alleged irregularities in the NEET examination. According to the latest medical bulletin, Wangchuk has lost over nine kilograms during the fast. Doctors said his blood sugar level, pulse and blood pressure remain under observation, while noting that he is adequately hydrated and mentally alert. Several prominent personalities, including Zeenat Aman, Shabana Azmi, Sonakshi Sinha and Abhay Deol, have also expressed concern over Wangchuk’s health.