Sonam Wangchuk has responded to Aamir Khan’s recent comments about the inspiration behind 3 Idiots, using a reference to the actor’s Ghajini character to make his point.
Speaking to YouTuber Prakhar Gupta on The Prakhar Gupta Xperience, Wangchuk recalled an earlier meeting with Aamir and referred to videos showing the actor watching one of his speeches.
Wangchuk said the two had met in detail and discussed several ideas. He also joked that Aamir may have forgotten the interaction because he was dressed as his Ghajini character at the time.
The comments come amid renewed discussion over whether Phunsukh Wangdu, Aamir’s character in the 2009 film 3 Idiots, was inspired by Wangchuk.
TL;DR | News At a Glance
Sonam Wangchuk has responded to Aamir Khan’s comments about not knowing him while 3 Idiots was being made.
Wangchuk joked that Aamir may have had “short-term memory loss”, referring to his Ghajini character.
He said videos showed Aamir watching one of his speeches while wearing his Ghajini look.
Wangchuk said he and Aamir had met in detail and discussed several ideas.
He did not claim that Phunsukh Wangdu was completely based on him.
Wangchuk also addressed Salman Khan’s viral “Sonam, it’s done, bro” remark.
What did Sonam Wangchuk say about Aamir Khan?
Wangchuk was asked about Aamir Khan’s recent comments regarding the inspiration behind 3 Idiots.
Aamir has rejected the suggestion that Phunsukh Wangdu was based on Wangchuk. He has said that he, director Rajkumar Hirani and writer Abhijat Joshi did not know Wangchuk while the film was being made.
Wangchuk responded with humour.
He referred to videos showing Aamir at an event where Wangchuk was delivering a speech. According to Wangchuk, Aamir was wearing his Ghajini outfit at the time.
That prompted his reference to “short-term memory loss”, a clear nod to Aamir’s character in Ghajini.
‘Maybe he forgot after 15 minutes’
During the podcast, Wangchuk suggested that Aamir might have forgotten their interaction shortly afterwards.
He said the two had actually met in detail and discussed several ideas.
Wangchuk also recalled an award function where he was receiving an award and Aamir was present.
He then joked that Aamir may have been so deeply immersed in his Ghajini character that he forgot the event itself.
The comment was a sarcastic reference to the fictional character’s memory problems and should not be read as a medical claim about Aamir Khan.
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Did Sonam Wangchuk say 3 Idiots was based on him?
No. This distinction is important.
Wangchuk has been linked to Phunsukh Wangdu because of similarities between aspects of the fictional character and Wangchuk’s work. However, Wangchuk has not claimed that the character was completely based on him.
His latest comments focus on his account of having met Aamir and discussed ideas with him.
Aamir, meanwhile, has disputed the suggestion that Wangchuk was known to him during the making of 3 Idiots.
An old video showing Aamir and Wangchuk at the same event has also resurfaced. However, the existence of that footage alone does not establish what was discussed between them or whether Wangchuk directly inspired the fictional character.
ALSO WATCH: Aamir Khan on Sonam Wangchuk
Why did Wangchuk mention Ghajini?
Aamir Khan played Sanjay Singhania in Ghajini, a character whose storyline involves severe short-term memory problems.
Wangchuk used that fictional storyline to make a joke about Aamir’s recollection of their interaction.
He referred to videos in which Aamir was seen in his Ghajini look while watching Wangchuk’s speech.
Wangchuk said: Maybe he had short-term memory loss. He may have forgotten 15 minutes later.
He added that the two had met “in quite a lot of detail” and suggested that Aamir may have been so immersed in the Ghajini character that he even forgot the award function where Wangchuk was receiving an award.
ALSO READ: Sonam Wangchuk's Father Also Went On Hunger Strike In 1984. Indira Gandhi Flew To Leh To Meet Him
Sonam Wangchuk also responds to Salman Khan
The same podcast also saw Wangchuk address Salman Khan’s viral “Sonam, it’s done, bro” remark.
During Wangchuk’s hunger strike, Salman had publicly urged him to end the fast. The phrase subsequently became widely discussed online.
Asked about Salman’s comments, Wangchuk said he respected the actor for speaking about the issue.
However, he did not speculate about why Salman had made the appeal.
Wangchuk said: Majbooriyan rahi hongi sabki.
The phrase broadly means that everyone may have their own compulsions or circumstances.
The students are at top priority, educationally n security-wise, so they need not worry and have their parents worried for them. The Honorable Prime Minister has tweeted, and I am sure that he will take strict action against all those people who are responsible for this leak. So… pic.twitter.com/89Ykfs5r4k
— Salman Khan (@BeingSalmanKhan) July 23, 2026
Wangchuk takes a different tone with Salman
Wangchuk’s responses to the two actors were noticeably different.
When discussing Aamir, he used humour and the Ghajini reference to challenge the actor’s recollection of their interaction.
When discussing Salman, Wangchuk took a more restrained position. He said he respected the actor for speaking about the issue but declined to comment on his reasons.
The comments have brought renewed attention to Wangchuk’s past interactions with both actors.
However, the central question surrounding 3 Idiots remains disputed.
Wangchuk maintains that he met Aamir and had a detailed discussion with him. Aamir has said that he did not know Wangchuk while the film was being made.
The available public material does not independently establish that Phunsukh Wangdu was definitively based on Wangchuk.
For now, the claims about their interaction and the character’s inspiration remain matters of competing accounts.
FAQ | For A Quick Read
What did Sonam Wangchuk say about Aamir Khan?
Sonam Wangchuk joked that Aamir Khan may have had “short-term memory loss” after the actor disputed knowing Wangchuk while 3 Idiots was being made. Wangchuk said the two had met in detail and discussed several ideas.
Why did Sonam Wangchuk mention Ghajini?
Wangchuk referred to Ghajini because Aamir was wearing his Ghajini look in a video showing him watching Wangchuk’s speech. Wangchuk jokingly connected the character’s memory problems with Aamir’s recollection of their meeting.
Did Sonam Wangchuk say Phunsukh Wangdu was based on him?
No. Wangchuk has not claimed that the character was completely based on him. He has said that he met Aamir and discussed ideas with him, while Aamir has disputed knowing Wangchuk during the making of 3 Idiots.
What did Salman Khan say to Sonam Wangchuk?
Salman Khan urged Wangchuk to end his hunger strike and used the phrase “Sonam, it’s done, bro”. The remark subsequently attracted significant attention online.
What did Sonam Wangchuk say about Salman Khan?
Wangchuk said he respected Salman for speaking about the issue but did not want to speculate about the actor’s reasons. He said, “Majbooriyan rahi hongi sabki.”
Is it confirmed that Phunsukh Wangdu was based on Sonam Wangchuk?
No. There are public claims and similarities that have fuelled the discussion, but the available material does not establish that the fictional character was definitively based on Wangchuk.
