Raju Srivastava still on ventilator, condition 'slowly' getting better

There is a slight improvement in the condition of popular comedian-actor Raju Srivastava, who continues to remain in the ICU on life support, his business manager said Tuesday.

Srivastava was admitted to the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) here after he suffered a heart attack on August 10. The 58-year-old stand-up comic underwent an angioplasty the same day.

"Raju's condition is slowly getting better. He is responding to the treatment. There is an improvement in his health and he can now move his body parts a bit.

"He continues to remain in the ICU and on ventilator. Doctors have informed that it will take about a week for him to regain consciousness," the artist's manager Nayan Soni told PTI.

Last week, Srivastava's family released a statement on his official Instagram page, saying his condition was "stable" and requested people to "ignore any rumour/fake news being circulated".

A familiar face in the entertainment industry since the 1980s, Srivastava catapulted to fame after participating in the first season of the reality stand-up comedy show "The Great Indian Laughter Challenge" in 2005.

Srivastava has featured in Hindi films such as "Maine Pyar Kiya", "Baazigar", the remake of "Bombay to Goa" and "Aamdani Atthani Kharcha Rupaiya". He is also the chairman of the Film Development Council Uttar Pradesh.