‘Rancho Was Never Sonam Wangchuk’

One of Bollywood’s most enduring myths has finally been put to rest. Speaking at a public event, Aamir Khan clarified that neither he nor the makers of 3 Idiots knew education reformer Sonam Wangchuk when the 2009 blockbuster was conceived and made, dismissing the long-held belief that his iconic character, Rancho (Phunsukh Wangdu), was based on the Ladakh-based innovator.

Aamir said that while the film’s philosophy and Wangchuk’s work may share similar values, the character was never modelled on him. “We didn’t know him then. It’s a misconception,” the actor said, adding that the team has immense admiration and respect for Wangchuk and his contributions to education and innovation.

The clarification comes at a time when Wangchuk is back in the national spotlight over his indefinite hunger strike in Delhi.

Meanwhile, Omi Vaidya, who played the unforgettable Chatur Ramalingam in 3 Idiots, shared the video on his X handle, claiming that Aamir’s character in the film was based on Sonam Wangchuk. Responding to the claim, Aamir said, “I know, I saw Chatur’s video just recently… he is wrong,” reiterating that the resemblance is merely a popular misconception.

He also expressed concern about Wangchuk’s health as the activist continued his indefinite hunger strike at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar.

“Mr Sonam has also said before that the character is not about him. All of us are very concerned for his health and his life. We hope it ends well. All of us are hoping that he ends his fast,” Khan said.

That is a misconception. I didn’t know about Mr Sonam at that time when we were doing this film ‘3 Idiots’... I want to tell you neither Raju nor Abhijat, the writers of the film, 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 and the work that he does.”

— Aamir Khan

‘Every voice counts’

Filmmaker Kiran Rao has voiced her support for Sonam Wangchuk amid his ongoing hunger strike, urging the government to engage in dialogue with the protesters. Sharing an “I Support Sonam” post on Instagram, Rao said it was distressing to witness the silence surrounding his protest. Expressing solidarity with Wangchuk and fellow protesters, she thanked them for “shaking us out of our apathy” and reminding the nation that “every voice counts.”

‘Our collective conscience’

Over 60 prominent filmmakers, writers and actors have urged the government to engage with the activist through dialogue. In a joint statement, they described him as “too precious to lose” and said his courage and sacrifice have inspired people worldwide. The signatories include Zoya Akhtar, Mira Nair, Deepa Mehta, Kiran Rao, Payal Kapadia, Arundhati Roy, Amitav Ghosh, Pankaj Mishra, Nandita Das and Konkona Sen Sharma.