Filmmaker Kiran Rao has extended her support to climate activist Sonam Wangchuk amid his indefinite hunger strike at Delhi's Jantar Mantar, urging the government to initiate dialogue with the protesters. Her statement came shortly after Aamir Khan clarified that his iconic ' 3 Idiots ' character Rancho was not based on Wangchuk, while still expressing concern over the activist's health. As Wangchuk's fast enters its 20th day, support from celebrities and public figures continues to grow. Wangchuk, the climate activist and education reformer whose life story inspired Aamir Khan's iconic character Rancho in ‘3 Idiots’, has been fasting indefinitely at Delhi's Jantar Mantar, demanding Ladakh's inclusion in the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution. The extended strike has sparked growing concern nationwide.
Kiran Rao shows support on social media
Joining other celebrities who have backed Sonam Wangchuk, Kiran Rao too shared her concern over the activist's worsening health during his hunger strike. To show her support, she changed her Instagram display picture to an image of Wangchuk with the message, "I Support Sonam."
In her note, she wrote, “I stand in solidarity with Sonam Wangchuk, Abhijeet Dipke, the CJP, and all the citizens of this country, young and old, who are protesting for the rights of our students. My salaams to Sonam ji, Neha, Maneesh, Ameen and all the others for undertaking a hunger strike to make sure that justice is served. Our nation is indebted to you for shaking us out of our apathy and reminding us that every voice counts.”
Kiran added, “It is so distressing to witness the complete silence that this hunger strike has been met with, even after 19 days. What will it take for those in power to listen to the people? … it is shocking and inhumane. I urge the government to enter into a dialogue with the protestors, to understand the pain of the students, and end this impasse. We the people have a right to be heard. #sonamwangchuk #neet #cockroachjanataparty.”
Aamir Khan's clarification on Rancho from '3 Idiots'
Rao's gesture of support follows Aamir recently weighing in on the long-standing belief that his character Rancho in ‘3 Idiots’ was modelled on Sonam Wangchuk. The actor clarified that this widely held assumption is inaccurate, explaining that neither he nor the film's writers knew of Wangchuk while working on the 2009 blockbuster. Even so, Aamir expressed genuine concern over the activist's worsening health and said he hoped Wangchuk would end his indefinite fast soon.
Other celebrities extend support
Several other film personalities, including Prakash Raj, Soni Razdan , Atul Kulkarni, Abhay Deol, Shabana Azmi, Aditi Rao Hydari and Anurag Kashyap, have also extended their support, while digital creators like Bhuvan Bam, Munawar Faruqui, Ashish Chanchlani , and Purav Jha have helped amplify his message on social media.
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