Don't let Phunsukh Wangdu die, 3 Idiots' Chatur appeals Wangchuk hunger strike

Actor Omi Vaidya urged people to pay attention to Sonam Wangchuk's indefinite hunger strike at Jantar Mantar. His appeal came as concern deepened over Wangchuk's worsening health and the protest's demands.

In Short

• Omi Vaidya supports Sonam Wangchuk's indefinite hunger strike at Jantar Mantar
• Wangchuk's health worsened, lost nearly 9 kg since starting fast
• Vaidya links his film character Phunsukh Wangdu to Wangchuk's real-life activism

Actor Omi Vaidya, best known for playing Chatur in 3 Idiots, has extended support to educator and climate activist Sonam Wangchuk, who is on an indefinite hunger strike at Delhi's Jantar Mantar. Invoking the film's beloved character Phunsukh Wangdu, loosely inspired by Wangchuk, Vaidya urged people to pay attention to his deteriorating health and the issues he is protesting over.

The actor's appeal came days after the Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), which is leading the protest, claimed that Wangchuk had lost nearly 9 kg since beginning his fast and that his health had worsened.

On Tuesday, Vaidya shared a video on social media, introducing himself before making an emotional appeal. "I don't want Phunsukh Wangdu to die. Hello idiots, pehchana? This is Omi Vaidya, Chatur from 3 Idiots and Sadiq from The Office, and I have an important message for you. I don't really do this very often, so please listen up," he said.

Vaidya reminded viewers that Aamir Khan's character, Phunsukh Wangdu, was inspired by Sonam Wangchuk. "Did you know that Phunsukh 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," he said.

Calling Wangchuk "humble" and "a pretty impressive person", Vaidya said the activist had achieved "some incredible stuff" and urged people to learn more about him. "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.

Explaining the protest, Vaidya said Wangchuk was raising concerns over education, Ladakh's autonomy and environmental issues. "Whether you agree with him or not, I don't really want this guy to die," he said, urging people to take a moment from their daily lives to understand the issues at hand.

Watch the video here:

Activist and lawyer Prashant Bhushan also backed Vaidya's appeal by resharing the actor's video on X. In his post, Bhushan wrote, "At least 1 character from Aamir Khan's film 3 Idiots has come out in support of Sonam Wangchuk (the inspiration behind the Aamir Khan character) who is on fast at Jantar Mantar for 17 days, seeking the resignation of Education Minister Pradhan. Waiting to see what Aamir Khan does (sic)?"

See his post here:

Wangchuk's hunger strike entered its 16th day on Tuesday. According to the CJP, his health has continued to decline, with the group claiming he has lost nearly 9 kg since the fast began.

The CJP's protest over alleged irregularities in the NEET examination entered Day 24 on Monday. The group has demanded the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan and Rs 1 crore in compensation for the families of NEET aspirants who allegedly died by suicide following the controversy. The protest began on June 20, while Wangchuk joined it on June 28 and has remained on an indefinite hunger strike since then.

The organisation has also announced a peaceful march to Parliament on July 20, the opening day of the Monsoon Session, as opposition leaders and student groups continue to express support for the protest at Jantar Mantar.

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