In the end, it had nothing to do with shubh muhurts and phases of the moon. Amitabh Bachchan went home when he felt comfortable, not when astrologers told him to. And he is very happy with the way things turned out.

"No, we did not consult an astrologer," Abhishek Bachchan told HT on Saturday evening. "It was more about when dad was comfortable coming out (of hospital)."

"He's very happy to be at home, doing what he likes best: spending time with family," said Bachchan Jr. "He is completely mobile now and in good spirits."

Asked when his dad was likely to return to work, Abhishek replied, "He is resting now as per doctors' advice. He is still weak. He'll get back to work when his body is ready and when he's comfortable."

What was the "life-threatening" condition that Lilavati said he had escaped?

"That statement was misconstrued," Abhishek said. "They meant that had the condition not been detected in time it could have grown into something life threatening. Fortunately it was diagnosed and treated in time."

Abhishek apologised for being unavailable to reporters through the nearly three weeks his father was in hospital. He thanked Bachchan's fans and wellwishers for their support and sympathy.

"I apologise to the media if I was rude, and for not issuing a statement before. It's just that I was superstitious about saying he was fine when he was not. I did not want to speak prematurely. My priority at the time was my father, and I since I was not sure of his condition, I did not want to give wrong information."

"Now that he is home and on the road to recovery, I want to extend my gratitude and heartfelt thanks to everyone who prayed for him and all the media support throughout his stay at the hospital. It was overwhelming to see the love and prayers for him. He is better and out today because of their blessings and I, as a son, will never forget that."

The Big B himself was not ready to speak. To an SMS congratulating him on his return home and wishing him a speedy return to full health, he responded with a simple "Thank You." Now that he is back home, he is expected to return gradually to his regular routine, catching up with piled-up correspondence.