‘3 Idiots’ Myth Busted: Aamir Khan Denies Sonam Wangchuk Inspired Rancho
Bollywood star Aamir Khan has finally spoken about a long-standing rumour. He stated that his famous character Rancho (Phunsukh Wangdu) from the 2009 hit film 3 Idiots was not based on the Ladakhi teacher and climate activist, Sonam Wangchuk. Click Here To Follow Our WhatsApp Channel
Speaking at the 17th London Indian Film Festival, Khan called the connection a “misconception”. At the same time, he expressed deep worry for Wangchuk’s health, as the activist is currently on a hunger strike in New Delhi.
“Chatur is Wrong”
The subject came up at a special event celebrating 25 years of Khan’s film Lagaan. When someone in the audience asked about Rancho being based on Sonam Wangchuk, Khan quickly corrected them.
“No, that’s not true actually. That is a misconception. I didn’t know about Mr Sonam at the time when we were doing the film,” Khan said.
Khan also talked about a recent video made by his 3 Idiots co-star Omi Vaidya, who played the character Chatur. In the video, Vaidya asked people to support Wangchuk, calling him “the real-life engineer who inspired Phunsukh Wangdu.”
Smiling, Khan joked, “I saw the video of Chatur recently… he is wrong. Maybe that is what Chatur was thinking, but I want to tell you that neither Raju [director Rajkumar Hirani], Abhijat [writer Abhijat Joshi], nor I knew about Mr Sonam.”
However, Khan added that Wangchuk’s great work stands on its own. “He doesn’t have to be based on a character of 3 Idiots for us to respect him,” he explained.
Health Worries and Political Anger
Khan’s comments come at a tricky time. Sonam Wangchuk has been on a hunger strike in New Delhi since late June. He is protesting alongside opposition groups about recent problems with national exams. Doctors say Wangchuk has lost over nine kilograms, and people across India are worried.
“All of us are very concerned about his health and his life… All of us are hoping that he ends his fast,” Khan said.
Despite his kind words, Khan’s comments made some Indian politicians angry. Leaders from opposition parties like the Congress, RJD, and AAP asked why it took the actor 17 years to deny the rumour. They suggested Khan was scared to support an activist who is protesting against the current government.
A Different Story from 2008
After Khan spoke out, people on the internet found some older information that tells a different story. In 2018, Sonam Wangchuk said he actually met Aamir Khan in 2008—one year before 3 Idiots was released in cinemas.
Wangchuk claimed that they met at an awards show in Mumbai. He said he pitched a film idea to Khan, and a short video about Wangchuk’s school in Ladakh was shown while Khan was in the audience. Wangchuk also said a film crew later visited his school but was not allowed to film there because of environmental rules.
Even with these similarities, Wangchuk has always kept his distance from the film. He said he never asked for credit or money because he did not want people to think he was being greedy.
So, Who Actually Inspired Rancho?
With Aamir Khan denying the link to Wangchuk, we can look back at what the film’s creators have said in the past:
- The Fake Identity: Director Rajkumar Hirani said the main twist—a student using a rich friend’s name to study—came from a real student at his film school. This student secretly completed a three-year course under a fake name without getting caught.
- The Rebellious Attitude: Producer Vidhu Vinod Chopra said Rancho’s thoughts on education came from his own life and his arguments with his father.
- The Name: Chopra also revealed that the name “Phunsukh Wangdu” was simply a friendly tribute to his old classmate, Phuntsok Ladakhi.
As people continue to worry about Wangchuk’s health and the protests in New Delhi, Aamir Khan has firmly put an end to a famous Bollywood rumour.
