Salim Khan 'doing better' after health scare
What's the story
Salim Khan, the legendary screenwriter and father of Bollywood superstar Salman Khan, was admitted to Mumbai's Lilavati Hospital on Tuesday (February 17) after suffering a minimal brain hemorrhage. The 90-year-old has been in the ICU ever since. On Wednesday, the hospital held a press briefing to give an update on his health condition.
Family support
Family members have been visiting him since yesterday
Since his admission, Khan's family members, including sons Arbaaz Khan and Salman, daughters Alvira and Arpita, and sons-in-law Atul Agnihotri and Aayush Sharma have been visiting him. His two wives, Salma Khan and Helen, were also spotted at the hospital. The hospital authorities revealed that Khan was put on a ventilator support as a precautionary measure due to high blood pressure when he was admitted.
Health update
He will be off the ventilator by today: Doctor
Dr. Jalil Parkar from Lilavati Hospital addressed the media and said, "Salim Khan suffered a minimal brain hemorrhage, which does not require surgery." "Earlier he was told he would be discharged but now a decision will be made once he is comfortable." "The DSA procedure performed on him is not considered surgery. He is still on a ventilator." The doctor added that the procedure was completed successfully and Khan will be off the ventilator by Thursday (February 19).
Medical procedure
Khan was put on ventilator as a precautionary measure
Explaining the reason behind putting Khan on ventilator support, Parkar said, "Digital Subtraction Angiography procedure was performed. He was admitted yesterday by his family doctor Sandeep Chopra." "His blood pressure was also high so we kept him on a ventilator as a backup for safety. He is doing better now; recovery is slow due to his age."
Legacy
Salim-Javed changed the course of Bollywood storytelling
Khan is regarded as one of the most successful and influential screenwriters in the history of Indian cinema. Alongside Javed Akhtar, he transformed mainstream Bollywood storytelling in the 1970s and 1980s as part of the iconic writer duo Salim-Javed. They wrote several landmark films like Sholay, Deewaar, Zanjeer, Trishul, and Don. In 2024, Amazon Prime Video released a docu-series Angry Young Men that revisited Salim-Javed's extraordinary journey and impact on Indian cinema.