Phunsukh Wangdu aka Rancho is the main protagonist in the movie 3 Idiots. One of the many students who attend the Imperial College of Engineering (ICE), he is a unique oddity in the crowd of to-be engineers.
In the college he meets his roommates, Farhan and Raju who then go on to become his best friends. He also meets a very studious guy called Chatur who is shown to be his arch-rival.
The Story
In the initial part of the movie, Phunsukh Wangdu is christened Ranchoddas. This is actually the name of his father’s employer’s son. The real Ranchoddas is at home, lazing, while Phunsukh, a lowly gardener’s son is doing all the work for him to get his engineering degree. Phunsukh shows his talent at school by stealing a uniform and getting discovered doing immensely complex mathematical equations. The real Ranchoddas’s father finds out about this. He makes Phunsukh take the place of his son so that he can earn all the qualifications for him. Thus, Phunsukh enters the ICE, under the pseudonym- Rancho
Rancho’s character is brought out very vividly in the movie through his relationship dynamics with the other characters.
Caring and Daring
A very caring and daring person, Rancho can challenge anyone who might be trying to bully him or his friends. On his first day at college, his whole grade is in the process of getting ragged when he walks in. The senior student who is conducting this process tells Rancho to join in, or else he would urinate all over their dormitory door. Rancho sticks up for everyone by making some quick clever connections to the electrical mains that electrocutes the senior as he tries to commit his filthy act.
His caring nature is brought forth when he protects his friends from the principal’s wrath by taking the blame for leading them through a bad course. Rancho not only saves his friend, Raju’s father, but he also becomes a constant support in the life of Raju when he attempts suicide.
A Knowledge Sponge
An extremely smart and intelligent student, Rancho absorbs knowledge with great ease as though he is a walking sponge. When he discovers that Farhan and Raju are among the bottom last, he realizes their limitations and goes about helping and coaxing them into breaking free from their self-imposed barriers.
The Angry Side
The way his relationship dynamics get explored with Joy Lobo forms a very heart-wrenching part of the movie. It also serves as a major turning point. Joy is going to fail a test because his homemade drone isn’t working. Making it a personal project, Rancho fixes it, and makes it work only. Just as he is about to show it to Joy, he discovers that Joy has committed suicide. This unleashes his anger and Rancho is seen fighting against the system that forces students to take extreme steps.
Surprises
His quick wit and ceaseless questions annoy the teachers yet he surprises them by topping the charts in his exams. His ingenuity is revealed through his homemade electricity generator which saves the day and helps deliver a baby. But, the naughtiest parts of Rancho are realized in his rivalry with Chatur. The whole college joins in the fun when he wrecks Chatur’s reputation in front of everyone. The light-hearted banter and the seriousness of Chatur create exaggerations that are fun to watch.
These and many more shades make up the colourful and vibrant personality of Rancho. Optimistic, kind and always ready to help- this is Rancho, one of my favourite characters from the movie 3 Idiots.
Writer : Aadarsh Nair
Grade : 8 (Year 2023)
Place : Melbourne, Australia
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