‘He is learning...like a child’: Hope rises as actor-presenter Rajesh Keshav responds to treatment

Thiruvananthapuram: Popular Malayalam actor and presenter Rajesh Keshav, who collapsed during an event in Kochi two months ago, is undergoing specialist treatment and is slowly recovering, according to an update shared by his close friend Prathap Jayalekshmi.

Prathap visited Rajesh at Vellore Medical College Hospital and shared the latest health information in a Facebook post, reassuring fans that Rajesh is responding to treatment and gradually relearning basic physical functions.

Rajesh collapsed during a programme at a private hotel in Kochi and suffered a heart attack, moments later. He was rushed to a private hospital in Maradu, where he underwent angioplasty and was placed on a ventilator. After he was taken off ventilator support, he was shifted to Vellore for long-term specialist treatment and neurological rehabilitation.

In the post, Prathap described Rajesh’s current condition and the long rehabilitation ahead:

Rajesh is learning again — moving his arms and legs, swallowing food and performing small tasks, just like a child being taught step by step. This therapy method, repeating actions again and again until he manages them, has been ongoing for more than two months.

Prathap recalled Rajesh’s career and spirit, saying he once thrilled audiences with energetic stage shows, humour and eloquence, and lived cinema like a dream, watching every new film on the first day and promoting the work of both friends and strangers with equal enthusiasm.

The post also highlighted the emotional and financial support being extended to Rajesh and his family. With medical expenses rising, friends from his degree batch collectively raised funds and transferred money to Rajesh’s wife to support ongoing treatment.

“He is fighting hard to return. It is difficult and time-consuming, but he will come back with the same excitement and performance as before,” Prathap wrote. He thanked well-wishers, including Adv. Kavitha Sukumaran, Sreedeep AL, and Shamim Sajitha Subair, who helped coordinate financial support.

Rajesh remains under continuous rehabilitation in Vellore, and doctors expect the recovery process to take significant time. Supporters from the Malayalam cinema community and fans continue to share prayers and good wishes on social media.