Amitabh Bachchan Recovering After Hernia Surgery

Veteran Bollywood actor Amitabh Bachchan, who underwent a hernia surgery on Saturday, is reportedly doing well after the operation. The surgery took place in the SevenHills Hospital in Marol, Mumbai.

Bachchan consulted doctors following a nagging pain in the abdomen. Upon detailed examination, doctors advised a surgical intervention.

Bachchan's son, Abhishek, tweeted after the surgery: Thank you all for your wishes and prayers. The surgery went off well and dad is now in the room resting.

Later, Bachchan himself tweeted thanking his fans and well wishers: Thank you for your prayers.. your love and wishes never fail.. indebted for life, one that I shall never be able to pay back.

However, the hospital management and the Bachchan family refused to reveal details about the actor's medical condition. But the Times of India newspaper reported that he was operated upon for bilateral inguinal hernia, a condition of protrusion of soft tissue through a weak spot in the abdominal wall, causing pain and bulge in some cases.

Bachchan was taken to the operation theatre at 9am for his fourth surgery, which lasted for some 4 hours. The procedure was referred to as a minor operation by the doctors.

Bachchan, affectionately known as Big B, further tweeted: Took almost 5 hrs on the OT, but could feel the concern and wishes of the TwFmXt every minute .. .Took long because 2 surgeries had to be done on either side ..yes there is pain, but nothing good in life ever achieved without it!

The TOI report also noted that inguinal hernias develop from weakness or tear in the wall of the lower abdomen or groin.

In 1982, Bachchan was injured while shooting for the Hindi film Coolie directed by Manmohan Desai,. He sustained a near-fatal intestinal injury which could have possibly led to the latest medical condition. At that time, the whole country prayed for his recovery and a couple of fans even committed suicide after learning about the actor's critical condition.

Bachchan has acted in around 180 films in a career spanning four decades in Bollywood.