'Pray for this legend along with me': AR Rahman on SP Balasubrahmanyam's health update

Veteran playback singer S P Balasubrahmanyam, who has tested positive for COVID-19, was in a "critical" condition after his health deteriorated, the private hospital treating him said on Friday. Reacting to the news, singer AR Rahman took to his Twitter handle and urged his fans to 'pray for the legend' along with him.

Rahman wrote, "I request all the music fans to pray for this legend along with me ..#SPBalasubrahmanyam ..he has given us so much joy with his amazing voice!" [sic] Director Shekhar Kapur, Boney Kapoor, Harsha Bhogle, and others also prayed for his quick recovery.

The 74-year old singer was on life support in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) and currently under observation by a team of experts from critical care, a health bulletin issued by MGM Healthcare, where he was admitted on August 5, said.

"There has been a setback in the health of Thiru (Mr) S P Balasubrahmanyam.... in a late night development on August 13, his condition had deteriorated," MGM Healthcare Assistant Director of Medical Services Dr Anuradha Baskaran said. 

The hospital had on Thursday said he was "stable." "... based on the advice of the expert medical team attending to him, he has been moved to the ICU and he is on life support and his condition remains critical," Baskaran added.

The singer-actor, admitted with mild symptoms of COVID-19, is currently under observation by the team of doctors from critical care and "his haemodynamic and clinical parameters are being closely monitored," she said. Balasubrahmanyam, who has worked across Telugu, Tamil, Kannada, Hindi, and Malayalam film industries and rendered thousands of ever-green songs, was admitted to the hospital here on August 5 following complaints of cold and "on and off" fever for two-three days then.

(With PTI inputs)