Crisis! Senior actress Savita Bajaj talks about her BANKRUPTCY, READ

MUMBAI: Veteran actress Savita Bajaj, who is now 79-year-old and has featured in over 50 films; including Nishant, Nazrana and Beta Ho Toh Aisa among others, is in dire need of money. 

She has been doing the rounds of hospitals for her ailing health. The actress was infected with COVID-19 three months ago, following which she had to be hospitalised for 22 days. 

She was admitted again recently after she complained of breathlessness. 

Savita, who is a National School Of Drama (NSD) alumni, said, “My savings have dried up. I have spent all the money on my failing health. I have developed serious breathing issues and don’t know how I will manage now.”.

Currently, her only source of survival is the money (`2,500 and `5,000) that she gets from the writers’ association and 'CINTAA' (Cine and Television Artiste’s Association), respectively. 

However, with mounting medical bills, she is worried about having no means to sustain herself in the city. She said, “The writers’ association had helped me with rupees one lakh in 2016 after I was hospitalised following an accident. CINTAA, too, had helped me with `50,000. But today, I am not in a condition to work owing to my poor health. I have every intention to pay back money once I resume work, but right now, I’m not in a condition to work due to my poor health. Sadly, I have nobody who can take care of me today. Around 25 years ago, I had decided to move back to my hometown, Delhi, but no one in my family wanted to keep me. I have earned a lot, helped those in need, but today I need help.”.

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The actress, who has also been a part of TV shows like Nukkad, Maayka and Kavach among others, rues the fact that there are no facilities for senior artistes who face age-related health issues and are not fit to work. 

She said, “I want someone to build an old age home for actors like me who are on their own. I don’t have my own home in Mumbai even after working for so many years. I live on rent in a one-room kitchen in Malad. I pay `7,000 as rent. I didn’t want to ask for money, but it’s going to be difficult for me to manage now.”.

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Credit: ETimes