NEW DELHI: Popular comedian-actor Raju Srivastava continues to be "critical and on a ventilator" in the intensive care unit (ICU) of the AIIMS here, hospital sources said on Friday.
The 58-year-old stand-up comic was admitted to the hospital after suffering a heart attack on Wednesday and later underwent angioplasty.
The comedian is being treated by Dr Nitish Naik, professor at the department of cardiology at the AIIMS. The stand-up artist's business manager said there has not been any improvement in his condition.
"He is not in a conscious state. There is not much improvement in his health. His brain is not working. Doctors are saying wait and watch. Pray for his speedy recovery," Srivastav's business manager, told PTI. The comic had a heart attack while exercising at a hotel's gym here.
"He is critical and on a ventilator in the ICU," the source told PTI. Srivastava's cousin Ashok Srivastava had on Wednesday evening said the comic suffered a heart attack while exercising.
"He was doing his routine exercise and while he was on the treadmill, he suddenly fell down. He suffered a heart attack and was immediately taken to the AIIMS hospital," he had told PTI, adding that the actor-comedian's wife Shikha Srivastava had reached Delhi.
Srivastava, who has been active in the entertainment industry since the late 1980s, received recognition after participating in the first season of the stand-up comedy show "The Great Indian Laughter Challenge" in 2005.
He has appeared in Hindi films such as "Maine Pyar Kiya", "Baazigar", "Bombay to Goa" (remake) and "Aamdani Atthani Kharcha Rupaiya".
He was one of the contestants on "Bigg Boss" season three. Srivastava is the current chairman of the Film Development Council Uttar Pradesh.