Aamir Khan Meets Nihal Bitla, the Indian Kid Battling Progeria
Aamir Khan has fulfilled Nihal Bitla’s dream. He met the 14 year old after his story appeared on Humans Of Bombay
Aamir Khan has fulfilled Nihal Shrinivas Bitla’s dream. He met the 14-year-old after his story appeared on the popular Facebook page, ‘Humans of Bombay’ a week ago.
Nihal’s favourite film happens to be Aamir’s Taare Zameen Par and the young boy wanted to thank Khan for making the film. Soon after, Aamir Khan met Nihal and gifted him a board game, and a DVD of Taare Zameen Par. Nihal, in turn, gifted him a sketch of Ganesha.
Inside every old person is a young person, they say. In his story, Nihal is the old and the young – both, together. Nihal ages 8 times faster than the rest of us. He was the first child in India to be diagnosed with progeria.
Nihal turned 14 this January. Doctors say it is rare for a person suffering from progeria – the average age is 13.
Currently there is no treatment for progeria. Doctors took six years only to diagnose Nihal with the disease.
Nihal’s teeth fell off almost as soon as they appeared. He can only nibble on his favourite food. He likes to run, but soon runs out of breath. He wants to play but his joints ache. Nihal’s father runs a tiny mobile store in Bhiwandi, Maharashtra.
Given Nihal’s passion for sports cars, Lamborghini Mumbai even organised a special trial for him. Nihal is also fond of Asimov robots.
Nihal doesn’t like the 2009 movie Paa so much. The movie had Amitabh Bachchan play a progeria patient, Auro. Kids at school would say Nihal too, would die of a heart attack, just like Auro.
Once a bright student, Nihal has stopped going to school now. Repeated attempts by teachers have failed to get him back to class.
His disease may be rare – Hutchinson-Gilford Progeria has only 80 known cases in the world – but Nihal is like any typical teenager. He is hooked to his phone and iPad. And has a love hate relationship with his younger siblings.
(At The Quint, we are answerable only to our audience. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member. Because the truth is worth it.)