Bollywood actor Aamir Khan has denied any link between his character in the 2009 hit 3 Idiots and Ladakhi educator and activist Sonam Wangchuk, whose hunger strike in New Delhi entered its 20th day on Friday.
Answering questions at an event organised to celebrate the 25th anniversary of his anti-colonial film Lagaan on Thursday, the actor said the idea that his character, Phunsukh Wangdu, and Wangchuk being connected was a “misconception”.
The question came after his 3 Idiots co-star Omi Vaidya — who played Chatur Ramalingam — posted a video on Instagram voicing support for Wangchuk. The reel’s caption read, “Did you know the real life Phunsukh Wangdu may die?”
“I saw a video of Chatur just recently. He said that, yes. No, he’s wrong,” Khan said.
He said Vaidya might have been under a false impression. “Maybe that’s what Chatur was thinking, but I want to tell you that neither Raju [the film’s director] nor Abhijat [the writer], nor I, we didn’t know about Mr Sonam.”
