Actor Rajesh Sharma has been admitted to a private hospital in Kolkata after a suspected insect bite during the shooting of a film starring Prabhas in Hyderabad's Ramoji Film City, his family said on Wednesday.

According to a statement issued by actor Sudipa Chatterjee on behalf of Rajesh’s family, the actor was interacting with local technicians in a densely vegetated area after the shoot when he felt what appeared to be an insect bite.

As the discomfort initially seemed minor, Rajesh did not seek immediate medical attention. However, about six hours later, he developed severe pain in his right leg and his condition began to worsen, the statement said.

Despite the symptoms, Rajesh boarded a flight to Kolkata, during which he developed a high fever. He was admitted to Manipal Hospital in Dhakuria the following day, Tuesday, and remains under close medical supervision, it said.

The family said the actor is suffering from high fever, breathlessness and a rapidly spreading infection in his right leg. The infection has reportedly spread from his toes to his knee, with large blisters forming over the affected area.

"At this stage, it is too early to make any definite assessment. Mr Sharma remains under close observation and is not yet out of danger," a senior doctor treating the actor told PTI.

The doctor said Rajesh’s condition is being monitored round the clock as there is a possibility of complications, including the formation of a blood clot that could become life-threatening if it travels to the lungs.

Rajesh is a well-known actor in Bengali and Hindi cinema and has appeared in several critically acclaimed and commercially successful films.

Among his notable works are Khosla Ka Ghosla (2006), Ishqiya (2010), No One Killed Jessica (2011), Bajrangi Bhaijaan (2015), and MS Dhoni: The Untold Story (2016).