Aamir Khan addressed activist Sonam Wangchuk’s ongoing hunger strike during an interaction at the British Film Institute. The actor clarified that 3 Idiots was not based on Wangchuk, calling it a common misconception. He also expressed concern for the activist’s health and said everyone hopes his indefinite fast ends soon.
Aamir Khan on Sonam Wangchuk’s hunger strike
During an interaction at the British Film Institute (BFI), Aamir Khan was asked about activist Sonam Wangchuk’s hunger strike. The discussion began with a question about his 3 Idiots character being based on Wangchuk.
Clarifying the myth, Aamir said, “No, that’s not true, actually. That is a misconception. I didn’t know about Mr. Sonam Wangchuk at that time when we were doing the film. I know that I saw a video of Chatur just recently. He said that… No, he’s wrong. Maybe that’s what Chatur was thinking, but I want to tell you neither did Raju, nor Abhijat (one of the two writers), nor I. We didn’t know about Sonam. However, what Mr. Sonam is doing is good work in any case. He doesn’t have to be based on a character from 3 Idiots for us to respect him and the work that he does. I wanted to share this from a factual point of view.”
#india Aamir Khan Denies Sonam Wangchuk Link to ‘3 Idiots’ Amid Activist’s Fast #cjp_पार्टी
In a recent London Indian Film Festival conversation, Aamir Khan dismissed claims that Ladakhi engineer and activist Sonam Wangchuk inspired his iconic Rancho character in the 2009…
— Thepagetoday (@thepagetody) July 17, 2026
Following this, Aamir was asked about the growing concerns surrounding Sonam Wangchuk’s health as he continues his indefinite hunger strike. “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,” Aamir said.
Several celebrities from the film fraternity, including Shabana Azmi, Zeenat Aman, Prakash Raj, Naseeruddin Shah, Ratna Pathak Shah, Abhay Deol, Soni Razdan, and Omi Vaidya, had earlier shown their support for Wangchuk.
About Sonam Wangchuk’s hunger strike
Sonam Wangchuk has entered the 19th day of his hunger strike at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar, where he has been protesting against alleged irregularities in competitive examinations. He has demanded the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, citing concerns over issues within the examination system.
Wangchuk has reportedly lost more than nine kilograms. The Delhi High Court has meanwhile directed the authorities to regularly monitor his condition and intervene if doctors find that his health is deteriorating.