Actor Shivkumar Verma on ventilator; CINTAA seeks financial help from B'wood bigwigs

2020 has been a grim year for Bollywood, every day we hear a piece of sad news. Just a fortnight ago the news of the sudden demise of Bollywood and TV actor Ashiesh Roy wrecked us. And now veteran actor Shivkumar Verma is battling a serious disease Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) and has been put on a ventilator.  However, as per reports, the actor is facing financial issues and needs monetary support.

CINTAA seeks monetary help from Akshay, Salman Khan & others

Cine and TV Artistes' Association (CINTAA) said in a statement that the actor was admitted to a hospital in Malad where his health deteriorated and has now been given ventilator support. The official Twitter handle of Cine & TV Artistes' Association (CINTAA) while sharing the health update also mentioned that his hospital expenses need to be taken care of. They even tagged various Bollywood celebrities like Akshay Kumar,  Anupam Kher, Varun Dhawan, Vidya Balan and Salman Khan and asked them for help.

Taking to Twitter, CINTAA wrote, CINTAA Member Shivkumar Verma has been admitted at Atlantis Hospital (Malad west) and is suffering from COPD, and is on a ventilator. He needs urgent funds for hospital expenses. We humbly urge you to please help by donating whatever you can@AnupamPKher @AzmiShabana

He needs urgent funds for hospital expenses. We humbly urge you to please help by donating whatever you can to the bank account given below for hospital expenses (sic)."

Shivkumar has tested negative for COVID-19

CINTAA's senior joint secretary Amit Behl told Mirror Online:

Shivkumar Verma is on the ventilator but he is a bit better. He has also tested negative for COVID-19. We have contributed Rs 50,000 from our funds and are doing our best to help our colleague.

Shivkumar's daughter opens up about her dad's deteriorating health. 

 While speaking to ETIMES, Shivkumar's daughter Rajsi said:

On lack of funds

It all started in the late 90s when he produced 2 shows for TV- ' Kahani Tota Maina Ki' and 'Naadaniyaan''on El-TV and Jain TV which never saw the light of day. Even the promos had come out but there were some middlemen who kept asking for more money. My father had invested a lot and could not cough up any more, the shows eventually were not aired and he got very, very despondent. I told him that he should rather resort to acting which would at least fetch us some returns. He tried his hand at acting in a few movies but could not make much headway because he was getting work that he was not liking. And then you know, how it is in the film industry when you are not seen around...

His condition worsened due to smoking cigarettes. 

Of course, we stopped him- but koi sunta hai kya? A stage came when Daddy used to sit on a chair and fall asleep in 5 minutes. He used to go out and collapse on the road, eyes closed. The doctors advised some tests which revealed that he was breathing oxygen well but not exhaling enough carbon dioxide and his smoking was worsening the situation.

The daughter confined that the Verma's have received Rs 50,000 from CINTAA.

Rajsi concluded: But that's not enough. I have urged the film industry also to come forward.

On the professional front, Shivkumar Verma has been a part of movies like Baazi Zindagi Ki and Halla Bol and many other films.