By:
Upala
KBR,
Mid-Day
Friday,
June
16,
2006
Sixteen-year
old
Karishma
Khullar
was
born
with
an
underdeveloped
lower
spine
and
after
an
accident,
she
ended
up
in
a
wheelchair.
Karishma
had
literally
given
up
on
living
her
life,
when
her
knight
-
Viveik
Oberoi
walked
into
her
life
and
put
her
on
the
road
to
recovery.
While
her
cynical
relatives
watched
and
waited
for
the
busy
actor
to
give
up
and
stop
communicating
with
the
teenager,
Viveik
maintained
regular
contact
with
her.
Rough
life
Karishma
has
had
numerous
corrective
surgeries
(her
father
being
a
renowned
surgeon
in
US)
since
her
birth.
She
was
a
normal
teenager
till
she
met
a
major
accident
a
couple
of
years
ago.
Karishma
fell
during
ice-skating
as
she
couldn't
keep
her
balance
due
to
her
under-developed
back.
She
suffered
minute
fractures
in
her
lower
back,
which
crippled
her.
Says
Karishma
who
lives
with
her
parents
in
Ohio,
USA,
"I
have
been
a
Viveik
fan
ever
since
I
saw
Saathiya.
Before
my
accident,
I
would
regularly
ask
Shunalidi
(wife
of
Shravan
Shroff
of
Shringar
Films)
to
establish
contact
with
Viveik,
but
somehow
it
never
happened.
After
the
accident,
my
mom
called
Shunalidi
and
told
her
that
I
would
need
to
undergo
strong
treatment
and
I
wouldn't
be
able
to
do
it
without
some
kind
of
inspiration,
and
asked
if
she
could
get
Viveik
to
talk
to
me.
Then
one
day
Viveik
called
me.
I
was
ecstatic!
This
was
more
than
a
year
ago
and
he
has
kept
in
touch.
He
told
me
I
could
call
him
anytime
and
we
would
connect
once
a
month,
chat,
and,
keep
each
other
updated."
Inspiration:
Viveik
Viveik
has
been
a
big
help
and
inspiration
to
her.
Karishma
says,
"Viveik
has
inspired
me
so
much.
When
I
had
to
do
my
exercises
standing
in
the
water,
my
physiotherapists
would
put
his
picture
in
front
of
me
and
make
me
work
out.
My
American
friends
picked
up
information
and
his
pictures
from
his
websites
and
made
special
cards
for
me.
Today
there
is
a
girl
fan
club
in
my
school
on
Viveik."
That
wasn't
all
that
Oberoi
did.
Adds
Karishma,
"He's
been
patient
with
me
and
makes
me
feel
special.
When
he
was
performing
at
Glasgow
he
sent
me
a
ticket.
There,
I
got
VVIP
treatment
-
travelling
in
the
limousines
with
him,
going
out
for
dinner
-
the
works.
Though
I
was
in
my
wheelchair,
I
felt
I
was
the
luckiest
girl
in
the
world!
I
have
recovered
a
lot
today
because
of
Viveik.
I
have
left
my
wheelchair
and
walk
on
crutches
now,
but
I
wouldn't
have
been
able
to
achieve
what
I
have,
without
his
patience
and
support.
Everybody
was
cynical
and
thought
his
caring
and
patience
would
fizzle
out,
but
it's
been
more
than
a
year
and
he
has
still
kept
in
touch..."
Essay
on
Oberoi
Karishma
has
also
written
an
essay
on
Vivek
and
read
it
in
school.
"I
wrote
this
essay
for
my
English
class
a
few
months
ago
and
my
teacher
thought
it
was
the
most
interesting
essay
she
has
ever
read!
Karishma
plans
to
come
to
Mumbai
this
year,
"When
I
told
Viveik
that,
he
said
that
he
would
like
me
to
attend
the
premiere
of
Omkara
with
him!
I'm
planning
to
come
on
July
23
because
Omkara
releases
on
June
28.
I'm
so
excited!"