Never Ending Movie Carnival
Never Ending Movie Carnival
Is Aamir Khan Lying?!
Recently at British Film Institute event where the closing gala of the 17th edition of the London Film Festival was held, Aamir Khan said that he had no knowledge of Sonam Wangchuk while shooting for ‘3 Idiots’ and his character Phunsukh Wangdu from the iconic Bollywood film has anything to do with Sonam Wangchuk.
He even went further claiming that neither he or the writers Raju Kumar Hirani and Parijhat Joshi were aware about the iconic innovator, engineer, education reformist and activist Sonam Wangchuk.
I find it very hard to believe that an actor, filmmaker who is proudly labelled as ‘The Perfectionist’ was unaware of someone like Sonam Wangchuk.
Considering the fact that Aamir is believed to be an intellectual artiste well versed with what his happening around the film industry and his country – India.
An actor who reportedly goes deep into the character to get the perfect nuances and does a character study is not aware that the character he is playing in ‘3 Idiots’ is inspired or has resemblance with a living person/personality in Ladakh.
It must be recalled that important portions of ‘3 Idiots’ were shot in Leh and Ladakh. A person like Aamir Khan is shooting in Ladakh and Leh and still not heard/aware of Sonam Wangchuk? Is this possible.
Is Aamir playing safe by denying his awareness about Sonam Wangchuk while shooting for ‘3 Idiots’.
Now this is very interesting,
Reportedly Aamir Khan and Sonam Wangchuk met in 2008 (‘3 Idiots’ was released in December 25, 2009) at the CNN IBN Real Hero Awards which were held in Mumbai on April 14, 2008 at The Oberoi Hotel, Mumbai, India. Sonam Wangchuk received the CNN-IBN Real Heroes Award for his grassroots work in reforming education and empowering youth in Ladakh through the Students' Educational and Cultural Movement of Ladakh (SECMOL).
And the meeting was not just a formal greet, it extended to Sonam Wangchuk presenting an audio-visual overview of his educational innovations.
And that’s not all, Sonam Wangchuk even pitched an idea of a film based on the Siachen conflict, Sonam Wangchuk reportedly suggested a storyline where ordinary citizens from opposing sides resolve tensions so that military funds could be redirected toward education.
Even if we believe Aamir words that he was not aware of Sonam Wangchuk during the shooting of ‘3 Idiots’ in spite of all the probabilities mentioned above and the shoot got over before the CNN BNI event held in April 2008, Aamir must have recollected that his character from ‘3 Idiots’ Phunsukh Wangdu indeed has resemblances with Sonam Wangchuk when education reformist showed video of his work.
And if the shooting took place after the 2008 CNN IBN awards, he must have recollected meeting a person in real who has similarities with the character he is playing in the film.
So, what is true Aamir?
Anyhow, Sonam Wangchuk has distanced himself during that time from ‘3 Idiots’ saying that the character played by Phunsukh Wangdu is not him and further added that he was not approached, consulted and informed.
But who will deny the amazing similarities between Sonam Wangchuk in real and Phunsukh Wangdu in reel?
The truth of the matter is the makers of ‘3 Idiots’ did visit the school of Sonam Wangchuk where he studied for shoot but was not granted permission.
Why did the makers want that school for shoot?
Your guess is as good as mine.
Sonam Wangchuk’s indefinite hunger strike has entered its 20th day at Jantar Mantar in New Delhi. Sonam Wangchuk is fasting in solidarity with the youth-led Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) movement demanding accountability and serious changes in India's education and examination systems following major paper leaks, alongside calling for the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan.
The CJP movement got a tremendous boost when Sonam Wangchuk joined the movement which has now received widespread attention all over.
Sonam Wangchuk deteriorating health has received reactions from opposition leaders like Raj Thackrey, Uddhav Thackeray, Arwind Kejriwal, superstar turned CM of Tamil Nadu Vijay just to name a few.
Some celebrities have also recently showed concern for Sonam Wangchuk’s deteriorating health like Sonakshi Sinha, Aditi Rao Hydri just to name a couple.
Actor Omi Vaidya who played the character ‘Chatur Ramalingam’ displayed his support for Sonam Wangchuk and after his post people started seeking Aamir Khan’s stand on the same.
At the BFI meet journalist Nabanita Sircar questioned Aamir Khan on Sonam Wangchuk and the actor gave his clarification where Aamir said ‘Chatur is wrong’ further adding that “No. That’s not true actually. That is a misconception. I didn’t know about Mr Sonam at the time when we were doing the film 3 Idiots.”
He then referred to Omi Vaidya’s recent appeal for Wangchuk, in which the actor, reprising his famous “Chatur” persona, said, “I don’t want Phunsukh Wangdu to die.” Responding to it, Aamir said with a smile, “He is wrong.”
Though Aamir Khan has showed concern over Sonam Wangchuk’s health by saying, “I think all of us are very concerned for his health and life. We hope that he ends his fast.”
For me it’s a good cover up attempt to play safe and shy away from taking any sides.
It’s a common for self-centred celebrities from the Bollywood film Industry, they play great humans, leaders who dare to challenge the system but in real life they are scared to raise a voice.
It must be remembered that in 2015 when Aamir Khan was called ‘anti-national’ due to repeating the comment made by his wife at that time Kiran Rao that she is scared to live in India as there is growing intolerance in the country and got trolled.
The same Aamir Khan after two years of that incident happily posed with RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat when he received the Vishesh Puraskar at the 75th Dinanath Mangeshkar Awards for his performance in ‘Dangal’.
It’s anybody’s guess that the right-wing loyalist and pro Hindu groups trolled Aamir Khan and when the chief of the most popular and the biggest supporter of Hindu Rashta in India - RSS gave Aamir Khan the coveted Dinanath Mangeshkar Award, he happily accepted it.
It must be remembered that ‘Aamir Khan’ is known for staying away from award functions but the actor the perfectionist was there to accept the honour by the hands of RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat.
So,
Is Aamir Khan playing safe and denying that he knew Sonam Wanchuk at the time of shooting for ‘3 Idiots’
Does Aamir Khan wants to stay away from any trouble, troll and keep himself in the good books of RSS, BJP and the right wing organisation of the country against whom Sonam Wangchuk is fasting.
Or
It’s just a common case of a popular celebrity only bothered about himself and has nothing to do with what is happening outside his home, state and or country.
A child born from life & fed by cinema. A filmi keeda from child & a film journalist for the last fifteen years. a father, seeker, foodie who loves crooning bollywood melodies twitter.com/cineblues More By vishal verma