Joy Mukherjee's condition still critical

Bollywood veteran Joy Mukherjee, who has been admitted to the Lilavati Hospital here, has shown no signs of improvement and the next 72 hours till Friday will be crucial, his wife said.

"He is stable at the moment because of the ventilator. But he is not conscious as of now. Doctors have said the next 48 to 72 hours will be crucial," Neelam Mukherjee told IANS Tuesday.

The actor-filmmaker was admitted to the hospital Monday morning.

According to his spokesperson R.R. Pathak, the 73-year-old had not been keeping too well for some time.

Mukherjee comes from a film family -- his father Sashadhar Mukherjee, who was married to legendary actor Ashok Kumar's sister Sati, was the co-founder of Filmalaya Studios.

Mukherjee made his cinematic debut in 1960 with "Love In Simla". Post that he became popular with projects like "Shagird", "Love in Tokyo", "Bahu Beti", "Ziddi", "Phir Wohi Dil Laya Hoon", "Ek Musafir Ek Hasina", "Puraskar", "Ishaara" and "Hum Hindustani".

The paternal uncle of actors Kajol and Tanisha, Mukherjee also directed movies like "Love in Bombay" (1974), "Chhaila Babu" (1977), "Saanjh Ki Bela" (1981) and "Umeed" (1989).