Real-life ‘Phunsukh Wangdu’ flames revolution in Ladakh
The entire Ladakh region remains tense following the death of four people in violent clashes between protesters and security forces in Leh, Ladakh, India. Thousands of demonstrators took to the streets demanding statehood for Ladakh and constitutional safeguards. Clashes broke out with police, sparking unrest across the city.
As the situation escalated, more people joined the demonstrations. Protesters attacked a BJP office and set fire to a police vehicle. In response, police opened fire to bring the situation under control. This marks the first violent episode during the ongoing movement for statehood.
For all latest news, follow The Daily Star's Google News channel. At the heart of the movement is Sonam Wangchuk, an engineer, innovator and social reformer who won the Ramon Magsaysay Award in 2018. According to Indian media reports, Wangchuk's life inspired the hugely popular and blockbuster Bollywood film "3 Idiots". He has now become a central figure in the protests in Ladakh.
According to NDTV, earlier this month, Wangchuk initiated a hunger strike to press for the demand of statehood for Ladakh. After the fast dragged on without any response, clashes broke out on Wednesday (September 24) between protesters and police. Shortly after the violence erupted, Wangchuk ended his hunger strike, saying the message of peaceful protest had failed. The government, however, blamed his supporters for instigating the clashes.
As Wangchuk is a renowned figure, his life story was loosely adapted in the 2009 Bollywood film "3 Idiots". Actor Aamir Khan, often dubbed "Mr Perfectionist", played the role of Phunsukh Wangdu in the film. The story followed the lives of three engineering students as they grappled with emotions, education and social expectations.
Directed by acclaimed filmmaker Rajkumar Hirani, the film portrayed Wangdu primarily under the name "Rancho" — a brilliant, inquisitive and free-spirited engineering student who inspired his classmates at the Imperial College of Engineering through his original ideas and thinking. Rancho's closest friends in the film were Farhan and Raju, played by R. Madhavan and Sharman Joshi. He encouraged them to pursue their dreams and not succumb to social pressures. In one memorable scene, Rancho inspires Farhan to tell his father that he does not wish to become an engineer but instead dreams of becoming a wildlife photographer.
Rancho was portrayed not only as a talented student but also as a kind-hearted one. He absorbed knowledge from what he saw and read, and opposed rote learning, advocating instead for practical education and creativity. His repeated message in the film was that success follows when one pursues passion.
Some of the film's iconic scenes were shot in Ladakh. The emotional climax reunion of the main characters was filmed on the banks of Pangong Lake. The residential school where the character Phunsukh Wangdu worked was Druk White Lotus School, located near Shey in Ladakh.
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