Get Well Soon: What went wrong with Hrithik's brain?

According to Dr P P Ashok, head of Neurology at Hinduja Hospital, the actor had performed a sequence of stunts where he plunged into hard water from a height, and also sustained blunt blows during action sequences. Vinod Kumar Menon reports on P2

Those who say that our film stars have it easy may have to revise their opinion -- stunts performed by superstar Hrithik Roshan for his forthcoming films landed him in hospital for brain surgery, after he was diagnosed with subdural hematoma, which commonly results from traumatic head injuries.



According to hospital sources, the actor had complained of severe headache for the past month, and was being treated by family physician Dr R K Agarwal. Hrithik informed the treating doctors that his body had been subject to severe physical exertions in course of shoots for his forthcoming releases Bang Bang and Krrish 3.

He had given several retakes for action sequences which involved various acrobatics - diving from heights into water, receiving blows, and dashing himself against a wall. Soon, he started experiencing severe headaches.

Acting on the advice of Dr Agarwal, he underwent a CT scan at a private centre. The physician also contacted Dr P P Ashok, head of Neurology at Hinduja Hospital, and requested him to examine Hrithik.


Confirming that he had examined Hrithik at his residence in the first week of June, Dr Ashok said, `The CT scan was normal. Since Hrithik did not complain of any physical weakness, I did not find anything alarming. He was already taking painkillers for the headaches and I modified the same, asking him to take rest.

Hrithik informed me that he had to leave for Greece the same night. Since there was nothing abnormal in the report, I did not feel the need for him to change the plan.`

The doctor added, `Normally, when someone complains of severe headache a few days after sustaining head injury, we usually get a CT scan done and keep the patient under observation. But, in the case of Hrithik, he was not sure of any injury.`


He added, `Two days ago, Hrithik developed weakness in the right arm and hand. He visited another family doctor, who advised another scan, which showed a subdural hematoma on the left side of his subdural space.`

The doctor explained that there are three membranes close to each other between the skill bone and the brain, which act as shock absorbers for the brain. The space in between these membranes is called the subdural space, which is supplied with a network of veins. Usually, if the impact is on the left side of the head, the right side of the body experiences weakness, and vice versa.


`Hrithik had an impact on the left skull, which, while it did not result in skull fracture or bleeding, might have produced a small tear in one of the veins. Blood started oozing out of it slowly, and since it could not come out, it started pushing the brain inside, leading to weakness on his right arms and hand.`