When Sonam Wangchuk visited KBC:Won ₹50 lakh and donated to his school; Amitabh asked if '3 Idiots' was inspired by him

Sonam Wangchuk, who is currently hospitalised while continuing his indefinite hunger strike in support of the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) movement, has once again made headlines. While he is widely known for his commendable work in education, did you know that he once won ₹50 lakh on Kaun Banega Crorepati and donated the entire prize money to his school? The episode became even more memorable when Amitabh Bachchan asked him whether Aamir Khan's iconic 3 Idiots character was based on him. Wangchuk's honest answer surprised everyone. Sonam Wangchuk appeared on Kaun Banega Crorepati in the ninth season. The engineer, education reformer and founder of the Students' Educational and Cultural Movement of Ladakh (SECMOL) used the platform to highlight his work in education and sustainable development. Won ₹50 lakh prize money and donated it Wangchuk won ₹50 lakh and announced that the entire prize money would go towards strengthening his educational mission and developing the Himalayan Institute of Alternatives, Ladakh (HIAL). He also spoke about his internationally recognised Ice Stupa Project, an artificial glacier that stores winter water for use during spring and summer, helping farmers in the region. When Amitabh asked Sonam if 3 Idiots was inspired by him; his answer may surprise you One of the biggest talking points from the episode was Amitabh Bachchan's question about Aamir Khan's character Phunsukh Wangdu in 3 Idiots. For years, many people had believed that the character was based on Sonam Wangchuk. Responding to Amitabh, Wangchuk gave a balanced answer that surprised many viewers. He said: Wangchuk on Bollywood films and what really matters He went on to explain why he never wanted people to judge his work through the lens of a Bollywood film. According to Wangchuk, whether the film was inspired by him or not was not the important issue. What mattered was the real work being done in education and innovation. He also remarked that he did not want people to accept an idea simply because it appeared in a popular film. If 3 Idiots had indeed drawn inspiration from his work, he was not especially proud of that fact; and if it had not, he had no regrets either. His focus, he said, had always been on creating real change rather than becoming associated with a fictional character. Real life contributions matter: Wangchuk The discussion around 3 Idiots has been done many time over the years. In recent interviews, Wangchuk has again clarified that he does not consider the film to be his biography. He has said that while certain ideas may have been inspired by his work, he prefers to be known for his real-life contributions rather than comparisons with a movie character. ‘Students should become job creators instead of job seekers’ Wangchuk's vision for education is different, which impressed everyone. He explained that students should become job creators instead of merely job seekers and emphasised the importance of practical learning over rote memorisation. During the episode, he also described how his school in Ladakh runs largely on solar energy and encourages students to manage many aspects of campus life themselves. ‘3 Idiots’ was not based on Sonam Wangchuk': Aamir Khan After Sonam Wangchuk came into spotlight after the CJP protest, everybody was linking him to ‘3 Idiots’. When Aamir Khan was asked about Sonam and the film during an interaction at the London Indian Film Festival, he expressed concern over Wangchuk's health and urged him to end his fast. Responding to a question from the audience, Aamir said, “I am concerned about Sonam Wangchuk's health. I hope he ends his fast soon. The film 3 Idiots was not based on Sonam Wangchuk. I didn't even know him when the film was being made.” Wangchuk has been on a hunger strike at Delhi's Jantar Mantar for the over 20 days, protesting against the NEET paper leak and alleged examination irregularities. According to his supporters, he has lost 8.9 kg since beginning the fast.