I AM NOT PHUNSUKH WANGDU: WANGCHUK

So says Sonam Wangchuk, the man who’s said to be the inspiration behind Aamir Khan’s character, Phunsukh Wangdu, in 3 Idiots (2009). “I’m tired of the question,” says Wangchuk, who belongs to Ladakh and is known for his innovative ideas in education. He adds, “I am Sonam and not Phunsukh Wangdu. I met Aamir Khan at an event in Mumbai and I’m a big fan of his film Taare Zameen Par.” Wangchuk said that after 3 Idiots, he was flooded with mails from people asking about his connection with the film. “At an event where I met Aamir, he saw a documentary on my work. But I can’t say that that’s what inspired him. I wrote to Aamir two years after it released, but haven’t received a reply. So you decide if the film’s character was based on me!”