‘All of us are hoping that he ends his fast’: Aamir Khan clarifies ‘3 Idiots’ not inspired by Sonam Wangchuk

LONDON: Actor Aamir Khan has clarified that his 2009 blockbuster ‘3 Idiots’ was not inspired by climate activist Sonam Wangchuk, while also expressing concern over Wangchuk’s ongoing hunger strike.

Speaking at a public event hosted by the London Indian Film Festival, Aamir addressed the long-standing assumption that Wangchuk’s life inspired the character of Phunsukh Wangdu in ‘3 Idiots’.

Today at @BFI I asked Mr Amir Khan about @Wangchuk66 and his fast. Here is his response: @abhijeet_dipke @CJP_2029 @Cockroachisback @SauravDassss pic.twitter.com/jkeKFssrDX

— nabanita sircar (@sircarnabanita) July 16, 2026

“That’s not true. That is a misconception. I didn’t know about Sonam Wangchuk at that time while we were working on the film ‘3 Idiots’. I recently saw the video of Chatur. He is wrong. Maybe that is what Chatur was thinking. But neither Rajukumar Hirani nor Abhijat Joshi, who were the two writers, really know about Sonam Wangchuk,” Aamir said, while referring to a video message recently shared by co-star Omi Vaidya.

During the interaction, Aamir was also asked about Sonam Wangchuk’s hunger strike. The actor expressed concern for the activist’s health and said he hoped the fast would conclude soon. “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,” the actor said.

The London Indian Film Festival has returned for its 17th year with a rich array of cutting-edge new cinema premieres from India and around South Asia. Actor Aamir Khan attended the event on July 16 in London, where he engaged in a special on-stage conversation.

Actor Omi Vaidya, best known for his performance as ‘Chatur’ in Aamir Khan starrer ‘3 Idiots’, recently shared his concerns over Wangchuk’s health deterioration. Noting that he doesn’t want ‘Phunsukh Wangdu’ to die, Vaidya, in a video message, shared how Aamir Khan’s ‘3 Idiots’ character is based on real-life Sonam Wangchuk.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Omi Vaidya (@omivaidya_official)

“I’ve met this guy. He’s a pretty interesting character. He has done some incredible stuff in his life, and he seems pretty humble. I suggest you look him up and see what he’s up to because right now he is on a very long hunger strike,” he said in the video.

Wangchuk, an engineer, education reformer and climate activist from Ladakh, has been on an indefinite hunger strike at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi to press for the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan following nationwide examination irregularities and the high-profile NEET paper leak controversy.

Meanwhile, Wangchuk’s health parameters as of 9:30 am on July 17 showed his weight at 56.55 kg, a reduction of 350 grams in 24 hours. Blood pressure was 108/68, blood sugar 70 mg/dL, and pulse rate 72 per minute. (ANI)