Sonam Wangchuk Takes Dig at Aamir Khan Over ‘We Never Met’ Claim Before 3 Idiots
Sonam Wangchuk has responded with a sarcastic remark to Aamir Khan’s recent claim that he did not know Wangchuk while 3 Idiots was being made.
Climate activist and education reformer Sonam Wangchuk has responded with a sarcastic remark to actor Aamir Khan’s recent claim that the two had never met before the making of 3 Idiots. Wangchuk referred to Khan’s Ghajini character while suggesting that the actor may have experienced “short-term memory loss” when making the statement, Hindustan Times reported.
The exchange follows a renewed discussion over the inspiration behind 3 Idiots, the 2009 Rajkumar Hirani-directed film starring Aamir Khan, R Madhavan and Sharman Joshi. Aamir Khan Breaks Silence on Sonam Wangchuk’s Hunger Strike, Reveals ‘3 Idiots’ Is Not Based on Activist.
Sonam Wangchuk Takes Dig at Aamir Khan
😂 आमिर खान: “मैं सोनम वांगचुक को जानता ही नहीं था…”
सोनम वांगचुक: शायद ‘गजनी’ का असर अभी भी है! 😂#AamirKhan #SonamWangchuk pic.twitter.com/q6lGzA5tcC
— Anchal mahar (@AnchalMahar) August 30, 2026
Sonam Wangchuk Responds to Aamir Khan
In a recent podcast conversation with Prakhar Gupta, Wangchuk addressed Khan’s comments and recalled that a video had surfaced showing the actor watching one of his speeches in 2008.
Wangchuk said that Khan had been dressed in his Ghajini look at the time and jokingly suggested that the actor might have forgotten their meeting because of his character. He also said that, contrary to Khan’s recent claim, the two had met and discussed several ideas at length. Did Aamir Khan Lie About Not Knowing Sonam Wangchuk During ‘3 Idiots’ Shoot? Actor Faces Backlash After Resurfaced Video Tells Different Story.
Wangchuk, however, stopped short of claiming that 3 Idiots was a direct biography of his life. He described the connection as a matter of inspiration and said the filmmakers could have incorporated an idea after a conversation or meeting.
What Aamir Khan Said
Khan had recently addressed the issue during an interaction at the British Film Institute. Responding to a question about Wangchuk and his ongoing work, Khan said he did not know Wangchuk at the time 3 Idiots was being made. He also said the film was not based on Wangchuk and that neither he nor director Rajkumar Hirani and writer Abhijat Joshi knew about him during the film's production. Khan nevertheless acknowledged Wangchuk’s work and said the activist did not need to be the inspiration for a film for his work to be respected.
Debate Over the Inspiration Behind 3 Idiots
The discussion centres on similarities that have previously been drawn between Wangchuk’s educational philosophy and the character of Rancho, played by Khan in 3 Idiots.
Wangchuk has previously been associated with innovative approaches to education and sustainable development in Ladakh. His work has often been cited in discussions about the film’s portrayal of an unconventional approach to learning.
The latest exchange, however, appears to have remained largely light-hearted, with Wangchuk saying he was not particularly concerned about whether the film was directly based on him.
About 3 Idiots
Released in 2009, 3 Idiots follows three engineering students as they deal with academic pressure, family expectations, friendship and career choices. The film was directed by Rajkumar Hirani and starred Aamir Khan, R Madhavan, Sharman Joshi, Kareena Kapoor Khan and Boman Irani. It became a major commercial and critical success and remains one of Hindi cinema’s best-known films.
The latest comments have brought renewed attention to the long-running discussion over the film’s inspirations, but neither side has claimed that the movie was formally presented as a biographical account of Wangchuk’s life.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Aug 30, 2026 04:51 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).
