Aamir Khan dismisses '3 Idiots' link to Sonam Wangchuk

Bollywood star Aamir Khan has dismissed the long-standing claim that his iconic '3 Idiots' character Rancho was inspired by education reformer Sonam Wangchuk, while expressing support for Wangchuk's ongoing hunger strike.

Speaking during a discussion marking the 25th anniversary of 'Lagaan' at the closing ceremony of the London Indian Film Festival, Aamir said the widely circulated claim is "simply not true."

"We didn't know Sonam Wangchuk when we were making 3 Idiots. Neither I nor the film's writers, Rajkumar Hirani and Abhijat Joshi, knew him at the time," Aamir said.

His remarks came after actor Omi Vaidya, who portrayed Chatur Ramalingam in the film, recently claimed that the character of Phunsukh Wangdu had been inspired by Wangchuk. Rejecting that assertion, Aamir said Omi had shared incorrect information.

Despite clarifying the film's origins, Aamir praised Wangchuk's contributions to education and social reform, saying his work deserves recognition regardless of whether it inspired a movie character.

"He is doing remarkable work, and that deserves appreciation. His contribution is important in its own right," he said.

Expressing concern over Wangchuk's indefinite hunger strike, Aamir added that many people were worried about his health and hoped the issue would be resolved soon so that he could end his fast.

Wangchuk, an engineer, innovator and education reformer from Ladakh, has been on an indefinite hunger strike at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi since June 28. The protest, which began over allegations of the NEET-UG paper leak, has since evolved into a broader campaign demanding accountability and sweeping reforms in India's examination system.

The protesters are demanding the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan and implementation of a five-point reform agenda.

Although his health has reportedly deteriorated on the 19th day of the fast, Wangchuk has refused to end the protest. Instead, he has called for a peaceful "Chalo Sansad" march on July 20, coinciding with the start of Parliament's monsoon session.

Several prominent Indian film personalities, including Abhay Deol, Swara Bhasker, Sonakshi Sinha, Atul Kulkarni, Prakash Raj and filmmaker Anurag Kashyap, have publicly voiced support for his movement.