Soumitra Chatterjee on ventilator

Veteran Bengali actor Soumitra Chatterjee has been put on ventilator support as his condition worsened further on Monday, said doctors at a Kolkata hospital.

Doctors said his kidneys started malfunctioning, reports The Hindustan Times.

"His health has deteriorated. We have given him ventilation support. The gastrointestinal bleeding, though we managed to stop it, has had some repercussions on the rest of the body.

"His platelet count was pretty low. The bleeding, the medication and dehydration have taken a toll on his kidney functions, as a result of which his urea creatinine levels have gone up while his urine output is not satisfactory," Dr Arindam Kar, who is leading a team of doctors treating the thespian, told mediapersons late Monday night.

Chatterjee, one of Bengal's most celebrated actors, has received many awards and honours, including the Padma Bhushan, the Dadasaheb Phalke Award, national awards and the Sangeet Natak Akademi Tagore Ratna.

He is best known for his collaboration with Oscar-winner Satyajit Ray and the Feluda series.

"We are trying to get him better than what he is now. But the challenges are very steep. Time and again new issues are cropping up because of his age, comorbidities and repercussions of so much medication," stated the last medical bulletin issued late Monday night.

The actor was hospitalised on October 6 after he tested positive for Covid-19. He had to be shifted to the Covid ITU as his condition deteriorated.

Millions of people in Bengal and beyond have been praying for his recovery since he was admitted.