A file photo of Nishikant Kamat. (Image courtesy: Instagram)

New Delhi:

Filmmaker Nishikant Kamat is on ventilator support in the Hyderabad hospital he was taken to last month, reports news agency ANI. Mr Kamat “is currently on ventilator support and continues to be in critical condition,” AIG Hospital said, according to ANI. Mr Kamat, 50, is believed to be suffering from chronic liver disease. Last week, a medical bulletin said he was “critical but stable.” This morning, a news outlet inaccurately reported Nishikant Kamat’s death, prompting a flood of condolence messages that were later deleted once the record was put straight. Actor Riteish Deshmukh, who starred in Mr Kamat’s 2014 film Lai Bhaari, tweeted to say that the director was “still alive and fighting”; he also asked media houses that had reported his death to post clarifications.

Requesting all the respected Media Houses who reported on #NishikantKamat to put out a clarification please. https://t.co/NPuaccKBac

— Riteish Deshmukh (@Riteishd) August 17, 2020

Actor John Abraham, star of two of Mr Kamat’s films, tweeted, “Nishikant is alive. In touch with his doctor. He is a fighter. Please pray for him.”

Nishikant is alive. In touch with his doctor. He is a fighter. Please pray for him.

— John Abraham (@TheJohnAbraham) August 17, 2020

On July 31, Nishikant Kamat was taken to AIG Hospital in Gachibowli, Hyderabad, with jaundice and abdominal distention, news agency ANI reported. Mr Kamat is “critical but stable,” a medical bulletin from the hospital said last week. The statement from the hospital read: “He has been diagnosed with chronic liver disease and other secondary infections. He is in the intensive care unit for continuous monitoring under the supervision of a multidisciplinary team of senior consultants comprising of Gastroenterologists, Hepatologists, Critical Care and others. His condition is critical but stable.”

Nishikant Kamat is best-known for directing the Hindi remake of Malayalam hit Drishyam – the remake starred Ajay Devgn and Tabu. He also directed Irrfan Khan in Madaari and Mumbai Meri Jaan, and John Abraham in Force and Rocky Handsome. Mr Kamat, also an actor, had roles in Rocky Handsome and some other films such as 2018’s Bhavesh Joshi.

Nishikant Kamat is also prominent in the Marathi film industry. He helmed films like Dombivali Fast, which was his debut as a director, Lai Bhaari and Fugay; he also acted in Fugay, Hava Aney Dey and Saatchya Aat Gharat. Dombivali Fast won the National Award for Best Marathi Film. Mr Kamat served as Creative Producer on last year’s web series The Final Call.