Filmmaker Kiran Rao has voiced support for climate activist Sonam Wangchuk during his ongoing hunger strike at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar, calling on the government to begin talks with the protesters. Her comments come soon after Aamir Khan dismissed the idea that his famous ‘3 Idiots’ character Rancho was modeled on Wangchuk, though he also said he remained concerned about the activist’s condition. With the fast now entering its 20th day, Kiran joined the wider wave of public backing by updating her Instagram display picture to a photo of Wangchuk alongside the message, “I Support Sonam.” In her written statement, she said, “I stand in solidarity with Sonam Wangchuk, Abhijeet Dipke, the CJP (Cockroach Janta Party), and all the citizens of this country, young and old, who are protesting for the rights of our students. My salaams to Sonamji, 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.” Not stopping here, she further 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.” Kiran’s message follows similar support from other film figures, including Abhay Deol, Prakash Raj, Soni Razdan, Atul Kulkarni and Anurag Kashyap to name a few.
