Rajinikanth progressing well, but blood pressure still on higher side: Hospital

A call on his discharge will be taken by Saturday evening

Tamil superstar Rajinikanth, who was admitted to Apollo Hospitals in Hyderabad on Friday, was “progressing well” on Saturday though his blood pressure is still on the higher side. The actor had an “uneventful night” at the hospital and a call on discharge will be taken by Saturday evening.

Rajinikanth, who is in Hyderabad for shooting for his latest movie Annatthe, was admitted to the hospital on Friday morning following “severe fluctuations” in his blood pressure. The actor had, on December 22, tested negative for Covid-19 after he underwent a test following four crew members testing positive for the novel Coronavirus.

“Mr. Rajnikanth who was admitted in the hospital yesterday is progressing well. He has had an uneventful night and his blood pressure is still on the higher side although under better control the yesterday. His investigations have not revealed anything alarming so far. He is scheduled for a further set of Investigations today, reports of which will be available by the evening,” an update from Apollo Hospitals on Saturday said.

“His blood pressure medications are being titrated carefully and he will continue to be under close monitoring. He has been advised complete rest in view of his labile blood pressure and visitors are not being allowed to meet him. Based on his investigations and control of blood pressure, a decision on his discharge will be taken by the evening,” the update added.

Rajinikanth, who underwent a renal transplant in 2016 and had confined himself to his Poes Garden residence in Chennai for about eight months before he decided to complete the shooting, remained isolation since Tuesday after some crew from the film tested positive for the virus.

The actor, who arrived in Hyderabad on December 13 along with his elder daughter Aishwarya, was shooting for Annatthe inside the sprawling Ramoji Studios till four members of the crew contracted coronavirus.

Doctors had advised Rajinikanth not to be among people as he is vulnerable to catching the Covid-19 infection due to his low immunity levels owing to the renal transplant. The producers of the film, Sun Pictures, had made elaborate arrangements, including creating a bio-bubble environment inside the hotel where the Annatthe crew was staying, to minimise the risk of catching Covid-19.

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami spoke to Rajinikanth over the phone on Saturday and enquired about his health.