Indian film superstar Rajinikanth has been admitted to Apollo Hospitals in Hyderabad over "severe fluctuations" in his blood pressure.
A press statement, issued by the hospital authorities on Friday, said: "Mr Rajnikanth has been admitted in the hospital today in the morning. He was shooting for a movie in Hyderabad since the last 10 days. A couple of people on the sets tested positive for Covid-19. Mr Rajnikanth was tested on 22 December for Covid-19 and he was negative. Since then he isolated himself and was monitored closely," reports Hindustan Times.
The statement continued: "Though he did not have any symptoms of Covid-19, his Blood Pressure showed severe fluctuations and needed further evaluation for which he has been admitted to the hospital. He will be investigated and monitored closely in the hospital till his blood pressure settles down before being discharged. Apart from fluctuating blood pressure and exhaustion he does not have any other symptoms and is hemodynamically stable."
The veteran actor was shooting for his Tamil film Annaatthe in Hyderabad and the shoot had to be suspended after eight crew members tested positive for Covid-19, according to the report.
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In a recent interaction with reporters in Chennai, the Tamil superstar revealed close to 40% of the shoot remains to be completed. In the movie, Rajinikanth will be seen playing a caring brother. Keerthy Suresh plays his sister.
In October, Rajinikanth admitted that his doctors advised him to take extra care as his immune system was weak after a renal transplant, which made him more susceptible to the coronavirus, the NDTV reports.
The physicians reportedly advised him that a vaccine was the only solution and they were not sure if his body would even accept it.
In early December, Rajinikanth declared to enter politics, vowing to bring in "corruption-free" government to his home state, reports AFP.
The action hero, one of Asia's best-paid actors, said on Twitter that with "huge support from people" he would be launching a political party in January that is expected to contest elections scheduled in Tamil Nadu state next year.
The 69-year-old former bus conductor said the public wanted "honest, transparent, corruption-free, caste-less, secular and spiritual politics" in the state.
Rajnikanth, who worked on buses in the southern city of Bangalore before moving into acting in 1973, proved his political muscle in 1996 when he called on fans to oppose the Tamil Nadu government, which was then voted out of power.
Rajinikanth said in 2017 that he wanted to enter politics to bring "change in Tamil Nadu." His fans set off fireworks in celebration but have been waiting since for the formal moves.
