Filmmaker Tapan Sinha on life support system

Kolkata, Dec 16 (IANS) Filmmaker Tapan Sinha, winner of 19 National Awards, is critically ill and on a life support system at a city hospital, a hospital spokesperson said Tuesday.

Sinha was admitted to the intensive cardiac care unit at the Calcutta Medical Research Institute (CMRI) Dec 5 with chest infection and acute respiratory problems.

'Sinha's condition continues to be critical even after 10 days at the hospital. He was put on the life support system Monday,' a hospital spokesperson told reporters.

'We are monitoring his condition 24 hours. His pulse rate is very low and he is responding to medication with much difficulty,' the spokesperson said.

Sinha was conferred the Lifetime Achievement Award by the central government. The 84-year-old filmmaker's movies have won laurels in international film festivals too.

His films, in Bengali and in Hindi, include 'Ankush', 'Uphaar', 'Ek Doctor Ki Maut', 'Safed Haathi', 'Kabuliwala' and 'Sagina Mahato'.