‘I don’t want Phunsukh Wangchu to die’: Umi Vidya aka Chatur from ‘3 Idiots’ urges people to support Sonam Wangchuk amid his hunger strike
Actor Umi Vaidya, who is remembered by millions as Chatur from the movie ‘3 Idiots’, has expressed his support for teacher and climate activist Sonam Wangchuk, who is currently on an indefinite hunger strike at Jantar Mantar in Delhi.
Through an emotional video message, the actor appealed to the audience to pay attention to Wangchuk’s deteriorating health while reminding everyone that Aamir Khan’s popular character Phonsukh Wangdu was inspired by the activist.
Umi Vidya’s emotional appeal to Phunsukh Wangdu
Sharing an emotional video on social media, Vaidya introduced himself before making an emotional request to the audience.“I don’t want Phunsukh Wangdu to die. Hello, idiots, Behshana? This is Umi Vidya, Chatur from ‘3 Idiots’ and Sadiq from ‘The Office’, and I have an important message for you.
I don’t do this very often, so please listen up.” He went on to explain the real-life inspiration behind one of Bollywood’s most beloved characters.“Did you know that Phonsukh Wangdu from the movie 3 Idiots is actually based on a Ladakhi engineer, innovator, educator and tinkerer named Sonam Wangchuk? I’ve met this guy. He’s a very interesting character.” The actor described Wangchuk as “humble” and “an impressive person”, highlighting his contributions before expressing concern about his health.
“Right now, he’s been on a hunger strike for a very long time. His blood sugar has dropped dramatically. I don’t know if you’ve heard about this. I don’t know if the media is reporting this. But this is something very important.”Vaidya also said that regardless of the difference in opinions, he hopes people will understand the seriousness of the situation. “Whether you agree with him or not, I really don’t want this man to die.”
Protests continue as health concerns grow
According to the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), Sonam Wangchuk’s health deteriorated during the fast, with the organization claiming he has lost nearly 9kg since joining the protest.
Wangchuk participated in the demonstration over alleged irregularities in NEET exams while also raising concerns regarding education, Ladakh’s independence and environmental issues.The protest demanded the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan along with compensation to the families of NEET aspirants who allegedly died by suicide. The CJP also announced a peaceful march to Parliament on July 20 during the monsoon session.
Prashant Bhushan Join the conversation
Activist and lawyer Prashant Bhushan amplified Vidya’s message by resharing the actor’s video on X.“At least one character from Aamir Khan’s film ‘3 Idiots’ has come out in support of Sonam Wangchuk (the inspiration behind Aamir Khan’s character) who fasted at Jantar Mantar for 17 days, seeking the resignation of Education Minister Pradhan. Are you waiting to see what Aamir Khan (sic) will do?”
Omi Vidya interface
On the professional front, Omi Vaidya is still known for his memorable performance as Chatur Ramalingam in Rajkumar Hirani’s ‘3 Idiots’. Apart from blockbusters, he has appeared in films like ‘Dil To Baccha Hai Ji’, ‘Players’, ‘Jodi Breakers’ and ‘Desi Boyz’. His recent appeal to Sonam Wangchuk has once again put the actor in the spotlight, with the video garnering a lot of attention across social media platforms.