Dilip Kumar continues to remain in the ICU

Legendary Hindi film star Dilip Kumar continues to remain in the intensive care unit (ICU) of Mumbai’s Lilavati hospital as there has not been enough improvement in his condition. The actor was admitted to hospital for dehydration and fever which have affected his kidneys.

"His dehydration has been controlled as his body is now responding to fluids," a source close to the actor's family said. "However, the rising creatinine levels are a cause for concern. So he continues to remain in the ICU."

Meanwhile, social media was abuzz with a message quoting an unnamed hospital official as saying that the 94-year-old's creatinine and potassium levels are rising while the haemoglobin is decreasing. Dilip Kumar is not on a ventilator, however, as some reports had earlier claimed. But if his creatinine level does not subside, he may need to undergo dialysis, the source said.

Earlier in the day, Dr Ravishankar, chief executive of the hospital, told the Hindustan Times newspaper, “He is stable and the only major issue is dehydration. As dehydration also affects the kidneys and other organs briefly, he has suffered minor urinary issues, otherwise there are no major complications.”

Dilip Kumar's wife, yesteryear star Saira Banu, has kept mum on his condition and called upon well-wishers and fans to pray for the thespian. "We have to pray he recovers soon. He should be well, inshallah! The doctors are treating him," Saira Banu told the Press Trust of India news agency.

Dilip Kumar had a career spanning over five decades. He started with Jwar Bhata (1944) and was last seen on the big screen in the box-office dud Qila (1998). Along the way, though, he has given several stellar performances in films like Andaz (1949), Daag (1952), Devdas (1955), Naya Daur (1957), Mughal-e-Azam (1960), Gunga Jumna (1961) and Shakti (1982).

Known at one time as the tragedy king of Hindi cinema, Dilip Kumar was honoured with the Dadasaheb Phalke award in 1994 and the Padma Vibhushan, the country's second-highest civilian award, in 2015.