The 2009 Bollywood blockbuster 3 Idiots was not based on the life of engineer and education reformer Sonam Wangchuk, actor Aamir Khan has told.
Speaking during the closing day of the London Film Festival, where Lagaan had a special screening, Aamir clarified that although the film's character Phunsukh Wangdu shares certain similarities with Wangchuk, the story was never intended to be a biographical portrayal of him.
Director Rajkumar Hirani has also repeatedly denied claims that the film copied Wangchuk's life. In an earlier interview, Hirani said the primary inspiration for the character came from one of his classmates at the Film and Television Institute of India (FTII), who had enrolled under a different identity simply because he wanted to learn.
Hirani acknowledged that some of Wangchuk's innovations and educational initiatives were incorporated into the character of Rancho (Phunsukh Wangdu), but stressed that the film itself was not based on Wangchuk's life.
The debate resurfaced after actor Omi Vaidya, who played Chatur Ramalingam in 3 Idiots, publicly called for justice for the real-life Sonam Wangchuk.
Wangchuk has consistently maintained that the filmmakers never consulted him before making the film. He has also clarified that he is not the real-life Phunsukh Wangdu, despite the similarities between the character and his work.
The filmmakers have maintained that 3 Idiots was adapted from Chetan Bhagat's novel Five Point Someone. However, the film's release sparked a high-profile dispute between Bhagat and the makers over story credit.
Bhagat had then argued that while the film was based on his novel, the primary story credit was given to Rajkumar Hirani and Abhijat Joshi instead of him.
"For the past two years, I trusted Hirani, Vidhu Vinod Chopra and Aamir Khan blindly, and this is what I get in return. Now I am being threatened with legal action, but I am ready for it," Bhagat had said during the controversy.
His remarks came after Aamir Khan warned of legal action over what he described as defamatory allegations. Producer Vidhu Vinod Chopra also rejected Bhagat's claims, accusing the author of using the controversy to promote his book.
Despite the long-running debate, Aamir Khan has praised Wangchuk's work and recently urged him to end his hunger strike, saying he deeply respects the activist's contributions regardless of any association with 3 Idiots.
Wangchuk has been continuing his fast in support of students seeking accountability over alleged NEET examination irregularities and also urged the Centre to resolve pending issues concerning Ladakh.
