After watching Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey, Sonam Wangchuk's wife has a message for Bollywood. What is it?

Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey continues to enjoy a successful run in Indian theatres, crossing the Rs 150 crore mark at the domestic box office even as collections slowed on its third Monday. But while audiences are talking about the film's scale and storytelling, it has also sparked an interesting conversation closer to home. Gitanjali Angmo, social entrepreneur and wife of education reform activist Sonam Wangchuk, went to watch The Odyssey after the CJP protest and believes the film is a reminder that India has no shortage of epic stories of its own.

Gitanjali Angmo has a message for Bollywood after watching The Odyssey

After watching The Odyssey, Angmo took to social media to share her thoughts on the film. She said it was a surreal experience because many of its central ideas reminded her of a conversation she had with Christopher Nolan during an unexpected meeting in New York in 2024. Along with her post, she shared a photograph with the Oscar-winning filmmaker.

According to Angmo, the themes explored in The Odyssey, including the hero's journey, dharma, destiny, exile, temptation and the search for home, feel deeply familiar to Indian audiences because they are woven into many of the country's own epics and traditional stories.


That observation led her to a larger point about Indian cinema. She argued that, "India is sitting on a treasure-house of such epics. Imagine bringing them to cinema with scale, sensitivity and intellectual depth. Cinema is more than entertainment. It shapes minds. Perhaps Bollywood needs to rediscover its role as one of our most powerful classrooms.

Sonam Wangchuk's hunger strike at Jantar Mantar

Gitanjali Angmo's post comes at a time when her husband, Sonam Wangchuk, has been making headlines for his campaign demanding education reforms. The activist recently concluded a 26-day hunger strike at Delhi's Jantar Mantar, where he called for changes to India's examination system following the alleged NEET paper leak controversy.

The protest attracted widespread public attention and also reignited an old debate surrounding 3 Idiots. For years, many people have believed the character of Rancho, played by Aamir Khan, was inspired by Wangchuk's life. Because of that association, several social media users expected Aamir to publicly support the activist during the protest.

The discussion gained further momentum after actor Omi Vaidya, who played Chatur in 3 Idiots, voiced his support for Wangchuk's campaign.

However, during an interaction at the British Film Institute, Aamir Khan dismissed the long-standing claim that 3 Idiots was based on Wangchuk. The actor said neither he nor director Rajkumar Hirani and writer Abhijat Joshi knew Wangchuk while the film was being made. At the same time, he praised Wangchuk's work and said the activist deserves appreciation regardless of any connection to the film.

Soon after Aamir's remarks, an old video from 2008 showing the actor meeting Wangchuk resurfaced online. The clip, recorded a year before 3 Idiots was released, added more fuel to it.

Moreover, Sonam Wangchuk eventually ended his hunger strike on July 24 after meeting Union Health Minister JP Nadda and other government representatives. Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan resigned the following day, bringing the protest to a close.

The Odyssey continues its dream run in India

The Odyssey itself continues to perform strongly at the box office amid new releases like Tom Holland's Spider-Man Brand New Day. Christopher Nolan's historical epic, starring Matt Damon as Odysseus, has emerged as one of the biggest Hollywood releases of the year in India.

According to industry tracker Sacnilk, the film collected an estimated Rs 84 lakh on its third Monday (Day 18). Although weekday collections have naturally slowed, the film's total India net collection has now reached Rs 150.69 crore, with the India gross standing at Rs 179.66 crore. Final Day 18 figures are still awaited.

The film was screened across 669 shows on Monday and recorded an overall occupancy of around 43% during available show timings.