Climate activist Sonam Wangchuk has taken a humorous jab at Bollywood actor Aamir Khan after the star publicly denied meeting him or basing his character in the hit film 3 Idiots on his life. Wangchuk’s response comes after archival footage surfaced on social media disproving the actor’s claim.
Speaking on a podcast with Prakhar Gupta, Sonam Wangchuk reacted to Khan’s recent assertions that the two had never crossed paths during the making of the 2009 blockbuster.
“When he said that we hadn’t even met, some videos later emerged in which he was watching one of my speeches while dressed in the Ghajini outfit,” Wangchuk quipped. “Shayad woh Ghajini outfit mein the toh short-term memory loss huwa hoga, 15 min baad bhul gaye honge. Toh, mai hairaan nahi hoon. Warna bahot detail mein mile the hum (Perhaps he was in the Ghajini outfit, so he had some short-term memory loss and forgot after 15 minutes or so. So, I’m not surprised. Otherwise, we had met and discussed things in great detail).”
Wangchuk further joked about Khan’s famous method acting approach, suggesting the actor might have taken his onscreen role a bit too seriously. “We’ve heard that he gets so deeply into his characters. So perhaps he got so immersed in Ghajini that when he came to the award function where I was receiving an award, he may have forgotten about me too,” Wangchuk added.
Clarifying his stance on the long-standing debate over whether his life inspired Khan’s character, Rancho, Wangchuk noted: “I wouldn’t say that he based it on or made a biography of… this is what you call inspiration. He had a script, so he must have added into it. Perhaps his co-writers or directors didn’t realise that he had added an idea he had picked up somewhere, after meeting someone or having a conversation. It doesn’t make any difference to me. Let it go.”
Aamir Khan denies knowing Wangchuk during ‘3 Idiots’
The exchange follows comments made by Aamir Khan during an interaction at the British Film Institute (BFI). When asked about Wangchuk’s public initiatives and hunger strikes, Khan explicitly denied any connection between the activist and the creation of 3 Idiots.
“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,” Khan said at the event. Addressing claims made by cast members, he added, “Neither did Raju, nor Abhijat (the writers), nor I—we didn’t know about Sonam. However, what Mr Sonam is doing is good work anyway. He doesn’t need to be based on the character of 3 Idiots for us to respect him and the work he’s done.”
Shortly after Khan’s statement at the BFI, internet users dug up old videos from 2008 showing the actor interacting with Wangchuk and listening to his presentations, leading to widespread online discussions.
The Legacy of ‘3 Idiots’
Directed by Rajkumar Hirani, 3 Idiots remains one of Indian cinema’s most acclaimed coming-of-age comedy-dramas. Released in 2009, the film stars Aamir Khan, R. Madhavan, Sharman Joshi, Kareena Kapoor, and Boman Irani.
Centring on three engineering students navigating high-pressure academia, family expectations, and personal ambitions, the film’s central protagonist, Rancho, gained iconic status for challenging rigid educational systems in favour of innovation and practical learning, a philosophy widely associated with Wangchuk’s real-world educational reforms in Ladakh.
