Celebrities including actors, directors, singers to SP Balasubrahmanyam fans come together for speedy recovery of the legendary playback singer SP Balasubrahmanyam, who continued to be critical and is on life support battling COVID-19 at a MGM Healthcare hospital, Chennai.

Speaking to the media, the hospital authorities said, “Our multi-disciplinary team has been actively collaborating with national and international experts, and continues to closely monitor his vital parameters.” The 74-year old singer is battling Covid-19 with the support of ventilator and extra-corporeal membrane oxygenation support (ECMO), a heart- lung assistance machine.

Bharathirajaa, a long time friend of SPB, on Wednesday had given the call for the one-minute silent mass prayer at 6 pm and Rajinikanth and a host of others later appealed to fans and the general public to participate in it.

Tears rolled down Bharathirajaa's cheeks during the prayer. Bharathiraja turned emotional and with a shaky voice welcomed actor Sathyaraj.

“It is 50 years friendship with Balu. We all belong to one family-movie family. It is this movie field that provided food for me,” Bharathiraja said.

Actor Sathyaraj too turned emotional and said that it was SPB who sang a duet for him after he had acted as villain in several movies.

Singer Chitra who has sung several songs with SPB wished him a speedy recovery and sang a prayer seeking the blessings of Dhanvantri – the Hindu God of medicine.

Speaking at the meeting, Saroja Devi said: “Balu should come back. Whenever I meet Balu I always ask him whether he drank honey to have such a sweet voice.”

Movie Director Thangar Bachan said he grew up listening to SPB’s songs.

“Collective prayer will have a positive effect and Balu will come back,” Bachan said.

Actor Prabhu recalled his late father and legendary actor Sivaji Ganesan who used to say that SPB is the world’s treasure.

Director, Actor and Producer Parthipan shared how SPB is a good human being and a very humble person.

As people responded to the call for the mass prayer in a big way, young men and children, holding candles gathered and lined up near MGM Healthcare and offered prayers.

The social media platforms also witnessed scores praying for his recovery with hashtags such as "#GetWellSoonSPBSIR" and "#SPBalasubrahmanyam" trending.

S P Charan in a video message gave update on the singer's health. "There has not been any development in my father's health conditions so far. So, I realise there is not much to update. But again, like I said, we are keeping the hope alive and the faith alive. And we are confident that all the prayers that are being showered upon him and his family are definitely going to help him recover as early as possible," S P Charan said in an Instagram video posted on Thursday evening.

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A big thank you for the mass prayers.

A post shared by S. P. Charan/Producer/Director (@spbcharan) on Aug 20, 2020 at 3:41am PDT

S P Charan also thanked members of the film and music fraternity for joining a virtual on Thursday evening mass prayer and showering his father S P Balasubrahmanyam with get well soon messages. "We as a family are very grateful for this love and affection and the prayers."