Actor Rajesh Sharma has clarified the circumstances behind his recent hospitalisation, denying reports that he fell ill after being bitten by an insect while shooting for Prabhas’ upcoming film Fauzi. The actor said his health complications were linked to an infection in his right leg and high blood sugar levels, and stressed that neither Prabhas nor the film’s team had anything to do with his medical emergency.

‘Nothing happened on Prabhas’ set’

Speaking to , Sharma said he had been living with a skin problem on his right leg for some time. The condition eventually developed into an infection, which became significantly worse after his diabetes levels rose.

“It’s false news. Nothing happened on Prabhas’s film set. Neither Prabhas nor the unit was responsible in any way. They are nice people. Nothing happened in Hyderabad while I was shooting there,” he told .

The Special 26 actor explained that his condition deteriorated only after he returned to Kolkata from Hyderabad.

“After I flew back to Kolkata, in a day or two, the situation became severe. Because my diabetes was very high and I didn’t take it seriously at the beginning,” he added.

He further explained the source of the infection, saying, “I have had a skin problem on my right leg for long. From there, I have got the infection.”

According to the actor, his treatment has been completed and he is now recovering, with plans to resume work soon.

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“My treatment is over. Recovery is going on. Hopefully, I will start working in a week,” Rajesh Sharma said.

How the insect-bite reports surfaced

Speculation surrounding Rajesh Sharma’s health began after his friend Sudipa Chatterjee shared a social media post claiming that the actor had suffered an insect bite while shooting at Ramoji Film City for a Prabhas film. The post was later deleted.

Addressing the claim, Sharma said the post came from a place of concern.

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“She’s a good friend. Out of concern, she posted that. But she was wrongly informed,” he said.

In the now-deleted Instagram post, Sudipa had written, “Actor Rajesh Sharma reportedly suffered an insect bite-possibly from a bug or a poisonous spider-while shooting at Ramoji Film City for a film starring renowned actor Prabhas. After pack-up, Rajesh was chatting with local technicians in an area surrounded by dense vegetation when he felt an insect bite. As it did not seem serious at the time, he continued without seeking immediate medical attention.”

The post further claimed, “Despite his worsening condition, he boarded a flight back to Kolkata. During the journey, he developed a high fever, became increasingly restless, and his health deteriorated further. The following day, he was admitted to Manipal Hospital, Dhakuria. More than a day has passed since his hospitalisation, but he suffers from high fever, breathlessness and a progressing infection in his right leg.”

Sharma was admitted to a hospital in Dhakuria, West Bengal, where reports at the time described his condition as critical and said he was being kept under observation.

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His family had also issued a health update, stating that the actor was suffering from high fever and breathlessness along with a rapidly spreading infection in his right leg. Reports said the infection had progressed from his toes towards his knee, with large blisters developing on the affected area.

AICWA sought investigation into Sharma’s medical emergency

The reports linking Sharma’s hospitalisation to an insect bite on the Fauzi set also prompted a response from the All India Western Cine Workers Association (AICWA). The film workers’ body appealed to the Telangana government to carry out an “immediate, impartial and transparent investigation” into the circumstances surrounding the actor’s medical emergency.

Rajesh Sharma’s film career

One of the most recognisable character actors in Hindi cinema, Rajesh Sharma began his film career with Gulzar’s 1996 political period drama Maachis. Over the years, he has built an extensive filmography across critically acclaimed and commercially successful projects.

His notable credits include Dibakar Banerjee’s Khosla Ka Ghosla (2006), Abhishek Chaubey’s Ishqiya (2010), Raj Kumar Gupta’s No One Killed Jessica (2011) and Kabir Khan’s Bajrangi Bhaijaan (2015), among several others.