Aamir Khan Denies 3 Idiots Character Based on Activist
Originally published Jul 17, 2026
By Naman Ramachandran · Variety
AI-generated summary based on Variety · Aggregated by Filmarian · Human-reviewed and approved on Jul 17, 2026
Key points
- Aamir Khan denied that his character in '3 Idiots' was based on Sonam Wangchuk.
- The clarification was made during a BFI In Conversation event at BFI Southbank.
- The event was part of the London Indian Film Festival, which also celebrated the 25th anniversary of 'Lagaan.'
Bollywood actor Aamir Khan addressed a long-standing rumor during a recent event, clarifying that his character in the film '3 Idiots' was not based on educator and climate activist Sonam Wangchuk. The clarification came during a BFI In Conversation event at BFI Southbank as part of the London Indian Film Festival. The festival also celebrated the 25th anniversary of Khan's film 'Lagaan.'
Khan directly denied the speculation, stating that the claim was false. The film '3 Idiots,' released in 2009, is a comedy-drama that critiques the Indian education system and has been widely praised for its message and performances. The actor's comments aim to put an end to the persistent rumors linking the character to Wangchuk.
Read the original story: Variety — by Naman Ramachandran