Superstar Amitabh Bachchan returned home Saturday after being in the Leelavati Hospital here for nearly 20 days when he was operated upon for an abdominal ailment.

Wearing a white kurta-pyjama, the cheerful Big B walked out of the hospital escorted by son Abhishek and medical staff and waved to a large number of fans waiting outside before getting into a vehicle that took him home.

The busy as a bee star, apparently diagnosed with a condition known as diverticulitis, has been advised a month's rest and asked to avoid spicy foods.

Bachchan, who was admitted on November 28 to Lilavati Hospital, underwent an operation for diverticulis on the small intestine. He has been declared fit by the doctors to go home, they said.

Bachchan was admitted to Escorts Hospital in New Delhi on November 28 following complaints of a severe stomach ache.

He was brought to Mumbai the same night and admitted to Lilavati Hospital in suburban Bandra.

A series of tests, including CT Scan, were done on the actor. On November 30, the actor was diagnosed with diverticulis of the small intestine which had infection, inflammation and perforation. Bachchan had to undergo an emergency operation on the same day.

On December 14, at a press conference, the doctors declared Bachchan as fit to go home.

However, the actor who has developed a backache, was feeling very weak, hospital sources said.

The megastar will be under the care of family doctor Jayant Barve at home.

Dr Barve said that Amitabh needs complete rest for at least a month before he starts his routine work.