Sonam Wangchuk's old video with Aamir Khan resurfaces after actor's '3 Idiots' clarification

An old video of education reformer and climate activist Sonam Wangchuk has resurfaced on social media after actor Aamir Khan clarified that his character Phunsukh Wangdu in the 2009 film 3 Idiots was not based on Wangchuk. The viral clip shows Wangchuk recalling a meeting with Aamir Khan in 2008 and discussing how filmmakers had visited a school associated with him before the movie's release.

The video gained renewed attention after Aamir, speaking at an event hosted by the British Film Institute, said it was a "misconception" that the character was inspired by Wangchuk. He stated that neither he, director Rajkumar Hirani nor writer Abhijat Joshi knew Wangchuk while developing the film.

However, Khan added that he respects Wangchuk's work and expressed concern over the activist's ongoing hunger strike, saying public respect for him does not depend on any connection with 3 Idiots.

The resurfaced video has reignited debate online about the inspiration behind the iconic character, with many social media users revisiting earlier claims linking Wangchuk to the film. While the discussion continues, no official change has been made to the filmmakers' position regarding the origins of the character.