Suchitra Sen weak, not out of danger

Veteran Bengali actress Suchitra Sen is not out of danger yet, a doctor said Saturday. The ailing legend needs oxygen support.

"Almost the entire night (around four to five hours) yesterday she was on non-invasive ventilation. She is weak and is sleeping," Subrata Maitra, a member of the team of experts attending on Sen at the Belle Vue Clinic here, said Saturday.

She is on an oral prescribed diet which is being supplemented with peripheral nutrition through intravenous channel to fulfill her dietary requirements, the medical bulletin said Saturday.

"Though her oxygen saturation level is not normal, for her condition, we feel it's alright," said the doctor.

According to the report, her oxygen saturation has "stabilised to some extent, with wide variation".

Her condition had deteriorated Thursday prompting West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to visit the hospital for consecutive days Thursday and Friday.

The actress, who has shunned media and public for decades since her retirement from the film industry, initially suffered chest infection.

The 82-year-old actress was undergoing treatment for it at the nursing home since Dec 23. Her condition worsened Dec 28 night.

Following complications, Sen was put on the ventilator Jan 3.

Dubbed as the Greta Garbo of Bengali cinema, Sen is known for her performances in films "Deep Jwele Jaai" and "Uttar Falguni" in Bengali as well as Hindi movies "Devdas", "Bombai Ka Babu", "Mamta" and "Aandhi".

She won the best actress award for "Saat Paake Bandha" at the Moscow Film Festival in 1963.