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New Delhi: Rancho, Phunsukh Wangdu, from the film “3 Idiots,” is still considered one of the most memorable characters in Hindi cinema. It’s long been believed that the character was inspired by Sonam Wangchuk, an engineer, educator, and social activist from Ladakh. However, actor Aamir Khan has now spoken openly about the matter for the first time. He stated clearly that neither he nor the film’s writer knew Sonam Wangchuk at the time of filming. Aamir’s statement has brought a new twist to this long-standing debate.

Aamir Khan was interacting with the audience at a special screening of “Lagaan” at the London Indian Film Festival to mark its 25th anniversary. He was asked if Rancho from “3 Idiots” was actually inspired by Sonam Wangchuk. Responding to this question, Aamir categorically stated that this notion is not true. He explained that when the film’s story was being written and produced, the entire team was unaware of Sonam Wangchuk. Therefore, claiming that the character of Rancho was based on him is factually incorrect.

‘It’s just a misunderstanding’

Aamir Khan said that he recently saw a video on social media in which the film’s actor, Omi Vaidya, claimed that the character of Rancho was inspired by Sonam Wangchuk. According to Aamir, this was simply a misunderstanding. He added that even the film’s writers, Rajkumar Hirani and Abhijat Joshi, were unaware of Sonam Wangchuk at the time, so associating the character with him would be inappropriate. Aamir also said that honoring a person’s good deeds doesn’t necessarily require associating them with a film character.

Aamir praises Sonam Wangchuk’s work

However, Aamir Khan also made it clear that he fully respects Sonam Wangchuk’s work. He said that Sonam’s contributions to education, society, and the environment are significant and should be appreciated. Aamir added that a person should be respected for their actual work, not based on whether they inspired a film character.

Concerns raised about health

During the event, Aamir Khan also expressed concern for Sonam Wangchuk’s health. He said that he hoped Sonam would end his fast soon and recover. Aamir said that a person’s life and health are more important than any movement. He also wished him a speedy recovery.

The discussion increased after Omi Vaidya’s statement.

In fact, a few days ago, actor Omi Vaidya, who played Chatur Ramalingam in “3 Idiots,” shared a video on social media. In the video, he claimed that the character of Phunsukh Wangdu in the film was inspired by the real-life Sonam Wangchuk.

Omi also appealed to people to pay attention to Sonam Wangchuk’s health. He stated that Sonam had been on a hunger strike for a long time and his health was steadily deteriorating. This statement sparked a renewed debate on social media about whether the character of Rancho was actually based on Sonam Wangchuk.