Sonam Wangchuk has taken a witty dig at Aamir Khan after the actor denied knowing him during the making of 3 Idiots and rejected claims that the film’s character Phunsukh Wangdu was based on the Ladakhi innovator. Wangchuk joked that Aamir may have suffered “short-term memory loss” because he was dressed as his Ghajini character when they met.
The latest exchange has revived the long-running discussion around the real-life inspiration behind Rancho, the character played by Aamir Khan in Rajkumar Hirani’s 2009 blockbuster 3 Idiots.
What Did Aamir Khan Say About Sonam Wangchuk?
The controversy began after Aamir Khan was asked about Sonam Wangchuk during an interaction at the British Film Institute.
Aamir said he did not know Wangchuk when 3 Idiots was being made. He also said that director Rajkumar Hirani and writer Abhijat Joshi were not aware of Wangchuk at the time.
Aamir’s comments came after his 3 Idiots co-star Omi Vaidya suggested that the character Phunsukh Wangdu was inspired by Wangchuk. Aamir rejected that claim, calling it incorrect.
Sonam Wangchuk Responds With A ‘Ghajini’ Joke
Speaking on YouTuber Prakhar Gupta’s podcast, Wangchuk responded to Aamir’s claim with humour.
Wangchuk recalled that an old video had resurfaced showing Aamir watching one of his speeches at an event in 2008. Aamir was dressed in the look of his Ghajini character at the time.
Wangchuk joked that perhaps Aamir had experienced “short-term memory loss” because he was in the Ghajini outfit.
He suggested that the actor may have forgotten their meeting after a short time.
Wangchuk also said that he was not surprised by Aamir’s statement because, according to him, the two had actually interacted in considerable detail.
Did Aamir Khan And Sonam Wangchuk Meet Before 3 Idiots?
An old video appearing to show Aamir and Wangchuk together in 2008 has added fuel to the debate.
The footage reportedly shows Aamir attending an event where Wangchuk was present and listening to his speech. Wangchuk was being recognised for his work in education and innovation in Ladakh.
The meeting took place before 3 Idiots was released in December 2009.
The resurfaced footage has therefore led to questions about Aamir’s claim that he did not know Wangchuk during the making of the film.
Was 3 Idiots Character Really Based On Wangchuk?
Wangchuk has offered a more nuanced explanation.
He has not claimed that Phunsukh Wangdu was a direct biographical portrayal of his life. Instead, he described his possible contribution as an influence or inspiration.
According to Wangchuk, Aamir could have taken ideas from their interaction and later discussed them with the writers. He also suggested that the influence could have happened subconsciously.
The character in 3 Idiots is therefore not necessarily a direct representation of Wangchuk, but similarities between the fictional character and the real-life innovator have been discussed for years.
Why Is The 3 Idiots Debate Trending Again?
The debate has resurfaced because of the contrasting accounts from Aamir Khan and Wangchuk.
While Aamir has denied that the character was based on Wangchuk, the activist has acknowledged similarities while stopping short of claiming that the film was his biography.
Wangchuk’s latest comments have added a humorous twist to the disagreement, particularly because of his reference to Aamir’s Ghajini character, who suffers from short-term memory loss.
For now, the debate over who inspired Phunsukh Wangdu remains unresolved. But Wangchuk’s light-hearted response has once again brought the iconic 3 Idiots character and its real-life connections into the spotlight.
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