Not Sonam Wangchuk, Vidhu Vinod Chopra said Phunsukh Wangdu was inspired by him

Rajkumar Hirani: Rancho was inspired by an FTII student

Speaking to Komal Nahta on his podcast last year, Hirani said the idea for Rancho emerged from his days at the Film and Television Institute of India (FTII), where he found hostel life fascinating. “I often thought there were so many interesting stories here that should someday be shown in films,” he recalled. He then narrated the real-life incident that inspired Rancho’s philosophy.

ALSO READ | ‘I am not Phunsukh Wangdu’: Why Sonam Wangchuk distanced himself from Aamir Khan’s 3 Idiots

“Aamir’s character was inspired by a student in our film school, whose name I can’t reveal. He wanted to become a filmmaker but couldn’t secure admission to FTII. At the same time, one of his friends got selected, but his father refused to let him join. So the student who didn’t get admission assumed his friend’s identity and studied filmmaking for three years. Nobody discovered the truth until graduation. When people told him he wouldn’t receive a certificate, he replied, ‘I never wanted one. I just wanted to learn filmmaking.’ That inspired me because education is not about certificates.” Hirani added that several such real-life incidents eventually came together to shape the story of 3 Idiots.

Vidhu Vinod Chopra: Rancho was inspired by me

Years later, producer Vidhu Vinod Chopra offered a different version. During a conversation at NFDC’s Film Bazaar in 2014, Chopra claimed Rancho was largely inspired by his own life. “The character of Rancho is based on me. It is inspired by my life.” He said he rarely attended classes at FTII and even failed his final examination. “When I was nominated for the Oscars, the institute invited me as a guest and handed me my passing certificate as an honour.”

Chopra also revealed that his family had wanted him to become a doctor, and he hid the truth about his filmmaking ambitions from his father for years. “When I was nominated for the Oscars, I confessed everything to my father. I thought he would congratulate me. Instead, he looked at me and said, ‘You fooled me,’ and gave me a slap with love and affection.” Chopra was nominated for the Academy Awards in 1979 for his documentary short An Encounter With Faces.

Then came another inspiration: Phuntsok

Interestingly, Chopra later appeared to add another layer to Rancho’s origin story. At the first Himalayan Film Festival in Ladakh in 2021, during an official PIB broadcast, the producer publicly acknowledged his former FTII classmate, Phuntsok, saying the character’s full name—Phunsukh Wangdu—was inspired by him. Chopra affectionately referred to him as “Phuntsok Ladakhi.”

Sonam Wangchuk’s version

Meanwhile, Sonam Wangchuk has maintained that his association with 3 Idiots began before the film’s release. Speaking at Josh Talks, Wangchuk recalled meeting Aamir Khan at a CNN-IBN awards ceremony in 2008, where he spoke to the actor about education reforms and the conflict in Siachen. According to Wangchuk, Aamir also watched an audio-visual presentation showcasing his work.

A year later, after 3 Idiots released, Wangchuk said people began congratulating him on a film they believed was based on his life.

“People told me, ‘The film based on you is fantastic.’ I was shocked. They also said they had shown my school.” When he contacted his school, Wangchuk said he learned that a film crew had indeed visited but had kept the project a secret. “They wanted to bring a lot of plastic material, so we refused permission. Later, they shot in another nearby school.”

Aamir Khan dismisses the connection

The debate resurfaced after actor Omi Vaidya, who played Chatur in 3 Idiots, voiced support for Wangchuk’s ongoing hunger strike, saying, “I don’t want Phunsukh Wangdu to die”—a remark many interpreted as acknowledging Wangchuk as the inspiration behind Rancho.

However, during a conversation at BFI Southbank in London on Thursday, Aamir Khan firmly dismissed that belief. Calling it a “misconception,” he said Omi was “wrong.” “Neither Raju and Abhijat, who are the writers of the film, nor I knew about Sonam at the time when we were making 3 Idiots.”

His statement directly contradicts the popular belief that Wangchuk inspired Rancho, even as Wangchuk continues to maintain that the filmmakers had visited his school before the film’s release, adding another chapter to one of Bollywood’s longest-running creative attribution debates.

“I wrote a letter to the makers, but they never replied”, said Wangchuk.

Jyothi Jha is an incisive Copy Editor and multi-platform journalist at The Indian Express, where she specializes in high-stakes entertainment reporting and cinematic analysis. With over six years of diverse experience across India’s leading media houses, she brings a rigorous, ethics-first approach to digital storytelling and editorial curation. Experience & Career Jyothi’s career is characterized by its breadth and depth across the media landscape. Before joining the editorial team at The Indian Express, she honed her expertise covering the entertainment beat for premier national broadcasters, including NDTV, Republic Media, and TV9. Her professional journey is not limited to digital text; she has a proven track record as an on-air anchor and has successfully managed production teams within the high-pressure segments of Politics and Daily News. This 360-degree view of newsroom operations allows her to navigate the complexities of modern journalism with veteran precision. Expertise & Focus Areas Guided by the Orwellian principle that "Journalism is printing what someone else does not want you to do," Jyothi focuses on transparent, accountability-driven reporting. Her core areas of expertise include: Cinematic Deconstruction: Analyzing the social subtext of mainstream Bollywood and South Indian cinema (e.g., Kantara, Masaan, Dabangg). Toxic Masculinity & Gender Studies: A vocal critic of regressive tropes in Indian cinema, she often highlights the industry's treatment of women and social progress. Box Office & Industry Economics: Providing data-backed predictions and analysis of film performance and superstar fee structures. Exclusive Multimedia Coverage: Conducting deep-dive interviews and long-form features that bridge the gap between archival history and modern pop culture. Authoritativeness & Trust Jyothi Jha has established herself as a trusted voice by prioritizing substance over PR-driven narratives. Her background in hard news and political production provides her with a unique lens through which she views the entertainment industry—not merely as gossip, but as a reflection of societal values. Readers rely on her for "Journalism of Courage," knowing her critiques are rooted in a deep respect for the craft and a refusal to settle for superficiality. Her ability to pivot between daily news and specialized entertainment analysis makes her a versatile and authoritative pillar of The Indian Express newsroom.   ... Read More

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