Sonam Wangchuk takes sly dig at Aamir Khan over ‘3 Idiots’ inspiration claims

Climate activist Sonam Wangchuk has responded to Aamir Khan’s recent denial that he knew Wangchuk during the making of "3 Idiots", joking that the Bollywood actor may have forgotten their meeting after becoming too immersed in his role in "Ghajini".

In July, Khan denied knowing Wangchuk while the 2009 film was being made and rejected claims that its character Phunsukh Wangdu was based on the activist.

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However, hours after Khan’s remarks, an old video resurfaced online showing the actor meeting Wangchuk in 2008, a year before the film’s release.

Speaking on a podcast with Prakhar Gupta, Wangchuk recalled his meeting with Khan and said the actor was known for becoming deeply involved in his characters. Taking a playful dig at Khan, he suggested that the actor may have been so immersed in his "Ghajini" character that he had forgotten meeting Wangchuk at an award ceremony where the activist was receiving an award.

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Wangchuk said the two had spent considerable time together and discussed several ideas. However, he clarified that he had never claimed that "3 Idiots" was a biography of his life or that the film was entirely based on him.

According to Wangchuk, his claim was simply that some of his ideas may have served as inspiration for the film. He suggested that Khan already had a script and could have incorporated an idea he picked up during their conversation. Wangchuk also stated that the film’s co-writers or directors may not have known the source of the idea.

Despite the disagreement, Wangchuk said he did not consider the matter important and would rather let it go.

At an interaction at the British Film Institute (BFI), Khan was previously asked about Wangchuk and his ongoing hunger strike. Responding to the question, the actor said claims that he knew the activist during the making of "3 Idiots" were based on a misconception.

Khan explained that neither he, director Rajkumar Hirani, nor co-writer Abhijat Joshi knew Wangchuk at the time the film was being made. Referring to a video involving Omi Vaidya’s character Chatur, Khan suggested that the belief may have stemmed from Chatur’s comments, but insisted that it was incorrect.

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At the same time, Khan praised Wangchuk’s work, saying the activist deserved respect for his efforts regardless of whether Phunsukh Wangdu was inspired by him.