Actor Omi Vaidya, best known for playing Chatur in 3 Idiots, has spoken up in support of educator and climate activist Sonam Wangchuk, who’s been on an indefinite hunger strike at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar. Wangchuk was the real-life inspiration for the beloved 3 Idiots character Phunsukh Wangdu, and Vaidya used that connection to ask people to pay attention to the activist’s declining health and what he’s actually protesting about.
The appeal comes as worry over Wangchuk’s condition keeps growing. The Cockroach Janta Party (CJP), which is running the protest, says he’s lost close to 9 kilograms since he started fasting, and that his health keeps getting worse.
An emotional video message
On Tuesday, Vaidya posted a video online, introducing himself before making a heartfelt plea to the public. “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.
He leaned on the massive popularity of 3 Idiots to get more eyes on Wangchuk’s situation, hoping the film reference would make people stop and pay attention.
Reminding fans who Phunsukh Wangdu was really based on
Vaidya also pointed out that Aamir Khan’s character in the film was modeled on Wangchuk, a Ladakh-based engineer, innovator, educator and reformer. Talking about actually meeting him, Vaidya called him a humble and remarkable person.
“I’ve met this guy. He’s a pretty interesting character,” he said, adding that Wangchuk has pulled off “some incredible stuff.” He encouraged people to look up more about Wangchuk’s work, beyond just the movie link.
Worried about Wangchuk’s health
Vaidya sounded genuinely concerned about Wangchuk’s physical state in the video. He mentioned that the activist’s blood sugar had dropped a lot and wondered if the issue was even getting the attention it deserved. “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 said.
He explained that Wangchuk’s protest revolves around education, Ladakh’s autonomy, and environmental concerns. Vaidya was also clear that agreeing with Wangchuk’s stance isn’t the point, caring about his life is. “Whether you agree with him or not, I don’t really want this guy to die,” he said, asking people to at least take a moment to understand why he’s protesting.
16 days into the hunger strike
Tuesday marked day 16 of Wangchuk’s indefinite hunger strike. Per the Cockroach Janta Party, his health continues to decline, and he’s now down nearly 9 kilograms since he began fasting. The wider protest kicked off on June 20 over alleged irregularities in the NEET exam. Wangchuk joined in on June 28 and has been on an indefinite fast ever since.
The protest rolls on, with new demands
The Cockroach Janta Party’s protest hit its 24th day on Monday. The group is calling for Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan to resign, and for Rs 1 crore in compensation for the families of NEET aspirants who allegedly died by suicide over the exam controversy.
They’ve also announced a peaceful march to Parliament on July 20, the first day of the Monsoon Session. This comes as opposition leaders and student groups continue to throw their support behind the protest at Jantar Mantar.
Bureau Report
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