Actor Omi Vaidya, best known for playing Chatur Ramalingam in 3 Idiots, has extended his support to educator and climate activist Sonam Wangchuk, who is on an indefinite hunger strike at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar. In a video shared on social media, Omi reminded people that Aamir Khan’s character Funsukh Wangdu was inspired by Sonam Wangchuk’s life and urged everyone to pay attention to his declining health and the cause he is fighting for. Omi has now joined actor Prakash Raj in backing Wangchuk and raising concerns about his health.
Omi Vaidya urges people to pay attention
On Tuesday, Omi Vaidya shared a video on social media, introducing himself as “Chatur from 3 Idiots” before making an emotional appeal. Referring to Aamir Khan’s character from the film, he said, “I don’t want Funsukh Wangdu to die.”
Speaking about Sonam Wangchuk, Omi called him a humble and inspiring person and praised his contributions. He said, “Did you know that Funsukh Wangdu from 3 Idiots is actually based on a real-life Ladakhi engineer, innovator, educator and reformer named Sonam Wangchuk? I’ve met this guy. He’s a pretty interesting character.”
The actor also expressed concern over Sonam Wangchuk’s health, saying his condition has been worsening during the hunger strike. “Right now he is on a very long hunger strike. His blood sugar has gone down very much. I don’t know if you’ve heard about this. I don’t know if the media is reporting this. But this is a pretty important thing,” he added.
Acknowledging that most people are tied up with the daily grind of work projects and household chores, Omi pleaded with his audience to pause just for a moment and look into Wangchuk’s demands. He suggested that if people took the time to understand the issues, they would likely find common ground with the reformer’s fight. “We’re just regular people… and sometimes we’re too busy to deal with this stuff,” he admitted. “But if you have a second to just stop, put down your work from the new project… or the household duties… and just take a look at what’s going on right now. I think it would be really, really important.”
“I don’t want Phunsukh Wangdu to die and I don’t think you want him to either,” he stated bluntly. “Please retweet, please post on your Instagrams, and if you really care you can even reach out to your local… or national government officials… because you know, these things matter. I think they matter and I hope that you think they matter too.”
Why Sonam Wangchuk is on a hunger strike
Sonam Wangchuk, an engineer, innovator and education reformer from Ladakh, joined the protest at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar on June 28. The protest, led by the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), began over alleged irregularities in the NEET examination and has now continued for more than 24 days.
The protesters are demanding the resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan. They have also sought ₹1 crore as compensation for the families of NEET aspirants who allegedly died by suicide after the controversy.
Wangchuk has been on an indefinite hunger strike since joining the protest. The CJP says his health has been steadily declining. According to a health bulletin released on Monday, he has lost 8.2 kg. His blood pressure was recorded at 107/70, while his blood sugar level dropped to 67.
About the protest
The Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) has announced a peaceful march to Parliament on July 20, the first day of the Monsoon Session. As Sonam Wangchuk’s protest continues, more people have come out in his support, including opposition leaders, students and actors.