Bollywood Legend Dilip Kumar passes away at 98

Bollywood actor Dilip Kumar passed away at a Mumbai hospital at the age of 98 on Wednesday. The actor had been facing age-related complications for some time and was hospitalised in Mumbai on June 6 after he complained of breathlessness.

Kumar, known to generations of film-goers as 'tragedy king', had been admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) of the Hinduja Hospital, a non-COVID-19 facility, since Tuesday.

"With a heavy heart and profound grief, I announce the passing away of our beloved Dilip Saab, a few minutes ago. We are from God and to Him, we return," family friend Faisal Farooqui posted from the actor's Twitter handle.

The news comes after Kumar underwent a successful pleural aspiration procedure last month. At the time, he had reportedly been diagnosed with bilateral pleural effusion-- a build-up of excess fluid between the layers of the pleura outside the lungs for which he had been undergoing treatment in the Khar-based Hinduja Hospital.

The "Mughal-e-Azam" actor had been in and out of hospitals in the last one month and the family was hoping he would get better.