'Red Star' Madala Ranga Rao, the yesteryear artist and producer, has been hospitalized at Hyderabad's Star Hospitals. He has been suffering from severe breathing problems, following a heart stroke, since yesterday.

His son, Dr. Madala Ravi has issued a statement about Ranga Rao's health status. "Last year in May, my father was hospitalized in Chennai after a heart stroke. A critical surgery was performed upon him. Since then, he has been in Hyderabad. We took him to the hospital yesterday after he complained of heart pain. He is in ICU, under a ventilator. The doctors are trying their best to save my father's life. They have told us that his condition will be critical for the next 48 hours," Ravi says.

The actor-producer's son and wife are looking after him.