After Aamir Khan’s statement, old video of Sonam Wangchuk recalling their 2008 meeting surfaces – Watch
Published: July 17, 2026, 5:49 PM IST
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Aamir Khan and Sonam Wangchuk
An old video of education reformer and activist Sonam Wangchuk has gone viral after Aamir Khan recently said that neither he nor the makers of 3 Idiots knew Wangchuk when the film was being made. The resurfaced clip, however, shows Wangchuk recalling that he had met the actor in 2008—nearly a year before the film’s release. The video is from the 2008 CNN-IBN Real Heroes Awards, where Wangchuk was honoured for his work in improving education in Ladakh.
During the event, Wangchuk spoke about meeting Aamir Khan earlier that year. He recalled discussing a possible film based on the India-Pakistan conflict in the border regions of Ladakh and Baltistan, including the Siachen issue. He also praised Aamir’s performance in Taare Zameen Par (2007), saying he admired the film for bringing attention to children’s learning disabilities.
The clip resurfaced days after Aamir addressed the long-standing belief that his 3 Idiots character, Phunsukh Wangdu, was inspired by Sonam Wangchuk.
Speaking at a British Film Institute event in England, the actor dismissed the claim and said it was a misconception. “No, no. That is a misconception. I didn’t know about Mr Sonam at that time when we were doing the film 3 Idiots. Neither Raju nor Abhijat Joshi, who were the two writers, nor I—we didn’t know about Mr Sonam,” Aamir said.
He added that Wangchuk’s work deserves respect regardless of whether it inspired the film. “What Mr Sonam is doing is good in any case. He doesn’t have to be based on the character of 3 Idiots for us to respect him.”
Aamir also expressed concern over Wangchuk’s health as the activist continues his indefinite hunger strike at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar.
Today at @BFI I asked Mr Amir Khan about @Wangchuk66 and his fast. Here is his response: @abhijeet_dipke @CJP_2029 @Cockroachisback @SauravDassss pic.twitter.com/jkeKFssrDX
— nabanita sircar (@sircarnabanita) July 16, 2026
What has Sonam Wangchuk said about 3 Idiots?
According to him, after returning from France in December 2009, he started receiving messages from friends who believed 3 Idiots had been inspired by his life. He later learnt that the film’s team had visited a school associated with him in 2008, although they had not disclosed the purpose of their visit.
Wangchuk claimed the filmmakers wanted to bring plastic waste to the campus for the shoot, but permission was denied. As a result, the filming was shifted to another nearby school.
He also revealed that he had thought about writing to the filmmakers after the movie’s release but decided against it because the public dispute between author Chetan Bhagat and the film’s makers was already making headlines. He said he did not want his letter to be misunderstood as a demand for money.
After waiting for two years, Wangchuk eventually wrote to the filmmakers, mentioning his meeting with Aamir Khan and the film. He said he never received a response.
The resurfaced video has now reignited the discussion over whether Aamir Khan and the 3 Idiots team knew Sonam Wangchuk before the film was released, although the actor has maintained that the character of Phunsukh Wangdu was not based on the activist.
