Here's how Aamir Khan's "3 Idiots" became a viral hit in China

Bollywood megastar Aamir Khan never imagined that his iconic film, 3 Idiots, will became a viral hit in China , despite not officially releasing in theaters.

Piracy, a major issue for film stars, would help him gain such a massive following in China.

During a recent appearance, Aamir Khan opened up about how 3 Idiots became so popular in China, thanks to piracy.

He shared, “Piracy made me a star in China. 3 Idiots went viral there because of piracy.

The credit goes to the Chinese audience for accepting a film from a different culture and giving it love and respect. It was all organic and I had no role to play in it.”

The unexpected success of the movie in China led to Aamir Khan’s next major film, Dangal, also performing extremely well in the country.

Released under the title Shuai Jiao Baba (Let’s Wrestle, Dad), Dangal played in around 7,000 theaters and dominated the Chinese box office for weeks.

For Aamir Khan, the love from the Chinese audience for 3 Idiots has become a defining chapter in his career.

It’s a rare story of how piracy ended up giving a film a second life in a completely different market, turning Aamir Khan into a household name across borders.

Now, fans are eagerly awaiting his upcoming projects, including Sitaare Zameen Par, set to release in December 2025.

Read More: ‘Munna Bhai 3’, sequel to ‘3 Idiots’ in the works

Back in December 2024, Indian filmmaker Vidhu Vinod Chopra confirmed working on the next parts of his films ‘3 Idiots’ and ‘Munna Bhai.’

During an interview, the Bollywood filmmaker revealed that he was writing the scripts for ‘2 Idiots,’ a sequel to the hit ‘3 Idiots,’ and ‘Munna Bhai 3.’

“I am writing both 2 Idiots and Munna Bhai 3,” he said while expressing hope that the projects could potentially be realised soon.

Responding to a question regarding his approach to filmmaking, Vidhu Vinod Chopra said that he preferred quality over quantity.

“I could have made 2-3 sequels of Munna Bhai and 3 Idiots. Bahut maal kama leta main (I could have earned loads of money), bought a big car and a big house,” the Bollywood filmmaker added.

“But if those weren’t good films, I wouldn’t have enjoyed talking about them because I would know that I compromised my conscience just to mint money,” he said.