New Delhi: Congress, Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leaders on Friday, July 17, questioned actor Aamir Khan’s statement that his character Phunsukh Wangdu in the film ‘3 Idiots’ was not based on education reformer Sonam Wangchuk, suggesting he was unwilling to take a stand out of fear of the centre.
RJD Rajya Sabha MP Manoj Jha questioned the timing of Khan’s clarification.
“How many years did it take him to say this? Until now, everyone knew that (Wangchuk’s life inspired a character in 3 Idiots). It shows that keeping one’s spine straight before those in power is not easy,” Jha told PTI Videos.
Jha also referred to Wangchuk’s ongoing hunger strike, saying his party’s leadership had appealed to the activist to withdraw it as “there is no point holding a fast before a power that lacks compassion.”
AAP Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh also criticised the actor. “Whether it is Aamir Khan or anyone else, this Modi government has exposed everyone’s character. They have all bowed before it. They do not have the courage to speak,” Singh told PTI Videos.
Senior Congress leader Husain Dalwai said he wonders why Khan is “so scared.” He said Khan should “learn from actor Naseeruddin Shah on how to speak fearlessly” and at least express sympathy for Wangchuk.
“He is wrong… I didn’t know he was so scared. Aamir Khan is one of my favourite actors and producers but I wonder why he is so scared. Sonam Wangchuk has been sitting on a hunger strike for so many days. He should express sympathy with him and support him,” Dalwai said.
“I respect Aamir Khan as an actor and producer, but what is there to be scared of,” he told PTI Videos.
It’s a misconception, according to Aamir Khan
The reactions came after Khan said his character in the 2009 film, 3 Idiots, was not based on Wangchuk and described the belief as a “misconception.”
Speaking during a question-and-answer session at the London Indian Film Festival, Khan said that neither he nor director Rajkumar Hirani nor writer Abhijat Joshi knew Wangchuk while making the film.
“No, that’s not true actually. 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,” Khan said.
The actor also urged Wangchuk to end his indefinite hunger strike, saying everyone was concerned about his health.
From celebrities to politicians, reactions pour in
Singer Lucky Ali, while not commenting on Khan’s clarification, voiced support for Wangchuk.
“I don’t know Sonam Wangchuk nor have I seen the film that’s based on him but this much I know he brought comfort to a lot of our forces in the heights through his innovations… I hope the government wakes up… and pays attention to the consequences that may arise if something happened to him,” he wrote on Instagram.
Former Congress leader Sanjay Jha also took a swipe at the 62-year-old’s remarks.
“Now Aamir Khan says Phunsukh Wangdu in ‘3 Idiots‘ is not inspired by Sonam Wangchuk. Correct. Just like ‘Gandhi’, the 1982 film is not based on Mahatma Gandhi,” he posted on X, referring to British filmmaker Richard Attenborough’s film that featured Ben Kingsley as Mahatma Gandhi.
Absolute coward: Online users join the debate
Khan’s remarks also triggered a flurry of reactions on social media with a section of users accusing the actor of distancing himself from Wangchuk.
“This guy instantly lost all respect. Absolute coward,” said one user.
Another person posted, “Aamir Khan’s evasive, roundabout response when questioned about Sonam Wangchuk. How spineless real-life heroes of reels turn out to be!”
One post read, “Aamir Khan is such a shameless guy man. I really don’t understand how anybody can be fans of these people.”
However, the actor also found support with some saying there was no evidence that the character of Phunsukh Wangdu was directly based on the activist.
“For years, a carefully manufactured image was sold to the nation. Sonam Wangchuk as the real-life Rancho from 3 Idiots – the poor Ladakhi boy who rose from nothing, rejected the broken system, and became a revolutionary innovator fighting for the common man. In Reality, Wangchuk was born into a politically influential family,” said one user.
Director Hirani’s old interview claims another inspiration
Others on social media supported Khan’s clarification, pointing to an old interview in which Hirani had said the character of Rancho was inspired by a Film and Television Institute of India (FTII) student who attended the institute in a friend’s name after the latter was unable to enrol.
“This film was based on a student who wanted to get into the Film and Television Institute of India (FTII), Pune. He couldn’t get admission, but his friend did.
“But his friend’s father didn’t allow him to join the institute. So the boy attended the institute in his friend’s place. After three years, he was caught and denied a degree. He said, ‘I am not here for a degree. I am here for education,'” Hirani had said in the video.
Wangchuk’s version of events
However, both Khan and Hirani’s remarks are at variance with an account narrated by Wangchuk in a 2018 public talk, where the education reformer said he had met the actor in 2008 at the CNN-IBN Real Heroes awards in Mumbai.
According to Wangchuk, he discussed with Khan the idea of making a film on Siachen and a documentary on his work was screened during the event, where Khan was present.
Wangchuk said that he was told by friends and journalists in December 2009 that a film about him had been made and that his school featured in it. On enquiring with his school, he learnt that members of the film’s team had visited the campus but were denied permission to shoot there because they planned to use a lot of plastic.
The film was eventually shot at another nearby school, he said.
He also said he later came to know that the visit had taken place in April 2008 and shooting for the film began in August that year.
“I will leave it to you (the people) on the connection between this and the film,” Wangchuk had said.
Wangchuk said he initially decided against writing to the filmmakers after learning of the dispute between the makers and author Chetan Bhagat over credit for the story, fearing that any communication from him would be seen as a claim for money.
He said he eventually wrote to the filmmakers about two years later, reminding them that they had met and referring to the film, but did not receive any response.
CJP protest against NEET ‘paper leak’
Wangchuk has been on an indefinite hunger strike at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar since June 28 after joining the Cockroach Janata Party’s protest demanding Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan’s resignation over alleged irregularities in the NEET examination.
According to the latest medical bulletin, the activist has lost more than nine kilograms since beginning his fast.
Several film personalities, including Zeenat Aman, Shabana Azmi, Sonakshi Sinha and Abhay Deol, have appealed to the government to open a dialogue with him.
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