Billu Barber - Movie Review

Priyadarshan is synonymous with ha-ha-thons, but the talented storyteller has been equally proficient while handling intense dramas like SAZA-E-KALA PANI, GARDISH and VIRASAT. Like VIRASAT and MALAMAAL WEEKLY, BILLU, the accomplished director's new outing, is also set in a hamlet.

Although the story has been attempted in Malayalam [KADHA PARAYUMBOL] and Tamil [KUSELAN] earlier, the story actually takes its inspiration from the legendary friendship between Lord Krishna and Sudama. In this case, the story talks of the friendship between a superstar and an ordinary mortal who runs a salon.

BILLU is a simple story about simple people, told in the most simplistic manner. There's a generous dose of glamour as well, given the fact that the protagonist's friend happens to be a superstar, but what actually works for the film is the simpleton's story. He wages a daily battle to make ends meet.

Although the film is engaging, Priyadarshan reserves the best for the finale this time, when the superstar reminisces about his childhood friend and the deep bond that they shared. The end is remarkable and is sure to strike a chord with all sections of moviegoers.

Final word? BILLU is amongst Priyadarshan's finest works. And also Irrfan and SRK's. This tale of friendship is sure to steal your heart!

BILLU tells the story of a simple ordinary man, Bilas Rao Pardesi [Irrfan Khan], living in a small town with his wife Bindiya [Lara Dutta] and two kids. His life undergoes a drastic change as superstar Sahir Khan [Shah Rukh Khan] visits the village for a film shoot. Everything changes. Things go from good to bad to worse to good again.

Ten minutes into the film and you get absorbed into Billu's small world. The salon is in bad shape, the family is facing tough times, the neighbours and acquaintances are fair-weather friends... Billu's life gets grim with each passing day.

The story takes an interesting turn when Billu's life collides with the superstar's. And the assorted characters -- right from an aspiring poet/lyricist [Rajpal Yadav], to a stingy money lender [Om Puri], to the principal of the school [Rasika Joshi] -- everyone wants favours from Billu. These characters only make BILLU more interesting.

SRK's track is equally fascinating and only spices up the proceedings. In fact, Priyadarshan has amalgamated the three songs [featuring SRK with Deepika, Priyanka and Kareena] in the narrative smartly. Not once do you feel that you're watching two stories concurrently.

The best part of the enterprise is its climax. The superstar recalls his humble beginning and how his friend stood by him in times of crisis. The writing is brilliant and SRK only takes the scene to greater heights with his terrific portrayal.

Priyadarshan is adept at handling relationships and with BILLU, he proves he can handle emotions with as much flourish as comedy. To tell a simple, uncomplicated story, without the usual frills, is an arduous task indeed and Priyadarshan tackles the material with remarkable ease. The humour here is subtle, not loud, and a constant smile remains on your face all through.

Mushtaq Shiekh and Priyadarshan's screenplay is foolproof. In fact, the writing never loses focus and the highs and the lows in Billu's life are sensitively penned by the duo. Manisha Korde's dialogues are simple, gelling with the mood of the film.

Pritam's music is energetic. The songs, promoted aggressively prior to the release, only get an impetus thanks to the presence of the three actresses. 'Mar Jaani' and 'Love Mera Hit Hit' are, of course, the pick of the lot. V. Manikandan's cinematography is top notch. The locales [Pollachi] are breath-taking.

In the recent years, Irrfan has emerged as a force to reckon with, his performances have appealed to all strata of moviegoers and his work in BILLU will only cement his status as a remarkable actor. Shah Rukh Khan needs to be admired for two reasons. The show belongs to Irrfan, although SRK could've forced himself in every scene. Also, he has chosen to opt for a film that's not one of those run-of-the-mill types. In terms of performance, SRK shows his true potential towards the finale.

Lara Dutta springs a pleasant surprise. She goes through her part with complete understanding. Om Puri is excellent. Rasika Joshi is too good. Rajpal Yadav is really funny in the penultimate scene, when he recites a film song of an SRK film. Asrani and Manoj Joshi are passable.

On the whole, BILLU is a sweet-n-simple film that lingers in your memory even after the show has concluded. The final 20 minutes are the highpoint of the enterprise and that elevates the status of the film to great heights. The film has the potential to grow with a strong word of mouth. Recommended... Take your family for this one

B.O. update: 'Billu' starts slow, but actual test on Sat./Sun.

The much-awaited BILLU opened to a tepid response of 25% to 35% at various screens across the nation. However, the silver lining is that the film is enjoying positive reports and the next two days [Saturday and Sunday] will be crucial. Most exhibitors aren't surprised with the slow start, since it was evident from the promotion that the story revolves around Irrfan and that it wasn't the conventional SRK film, like OM SHANTI OM.

The other two releases, THE STONEMAN MURDERS and JUGAAD, have also opened with dull collections.

Billu premiere for barbers and hairstylists

In a move to appease the Hairdressers' Associations of Mumbai, Shah Rukh Khan is planning to invite various barbers and hairstylists for the premiere of "Billu", which was earlier titled "Billu Barber".

"As far as I know, Shah Rukh is planning a premiere for the various barbers and hairdressers' associations, so they'd see and know that the film doesn't ridicule them in any way. In fact, the film is a homage to the hair-cutting technique. I can't understand how there can be a protest about the film or its title without anyone seeing the film," Priyadarshan told IANS.

According to Priyadarshan, Shah Rukh is not inviting friends from the industry for the screening.

The film was earlier titled "Billu Barber", but when Hairdressers' Associations of Mumbai objected to the use of the word "barber" in the title, Shah Rukh, who is producing the film and making a guest appearance, decided to change it.

"I'm in Chennai. Shah Rukh Khan tells me all the posters hoarding with credits will blacken out the word 'barber'. If it was hurting anyone's sentiments, I'm okay by it," Priyadarshan said.

He wonders how the word 'barber' could be okay in other languages and not in Hindi.

"Does it mean half the Indian population is not put off by the title and the other half is upset about it? I don't understand the controversy. And I've left it entirely to Shah Rukh to deal with it."

The director has no plans of being in Mumbai for the release of "Billu". "I've done my best. And Irrfan Khan in the title role is the best homage that can be paid to any profession."

Priyan does wonder, and so do we, if we as a collective nation protest too much.

Irrfan Khan plays the title role and is paired with Lara Dutta in the film, which is releasing on Friday (Feb 13). Shah Rukh will make a guest appearance along with Kareena Kapoor, Priyanka Chopra and Deepika Padukone.

Miss India Worldwide 2009 contestants watch 'Billu'

Priyadarshan's comedy "Billu", which features a large number of top-notch Bollywood actresses, saw bevy of Indian origin beauties from 25 countries at its premiere in Durban, South Africa.

The 25 young women have assembled here to vie for the Miss India Worldwide 2009 title at the Suncoast Entertainment resort on Saturday (Feb 14) night. And they were excited to take a break from rehearsals on Tuesday (Feb 10) evening to join local celebrities at the premiere of "Billu", hosted by young South African Indian cinema magnate Abie Moosa.

While Lara Dutta is cast opposite Irrfan, who plays the title role, Kareena Kapoor, Priyanka Chopra and Deepika Padukone feature with Shah Rukh Khan in three different item numbers in the comedy.

"It will be delightful to have a complement of such lovely Indian ladies from across the globe to complement the Indian beauties on the screen," Moosa told IANS.

In keeping with the traditions of the Miss India Worldwide Pageant, started by Dharmatma Saran of the US nearly two decades ago, the contestants have been engaged in a series of visits to local communities and welfare projects for several days now.

On Monday, they were shown the massive Hare Krishna Temple in the huge Indian township of Chatsworth, which has become a popular tourist attraction.

Many of them expressed surprise that there were so many Indians in South Africa, and even that they had been here for nearly 150 years. "It is also wonderful to see the huge cultural diversity in South Africa," said Miss India Australia, Kanchan Verma, a health professional.

Miss India Oman, geneticist Shruti Dilip, said she had watched an impressive Indian dance by "a pint-sized" Indian dancer when they visited historic Gandhian sites in Pietermaritzburg, where the young lawyer Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi started his path to becoming the Mahatma after being kicked off a train by a white conductor.

Miss India Singapore, Asmaa Pandit, a business development consultant, and Miss India India Deepthi Varughese said that Durban with its large Indian population felt "just like being in India".

This is the second consecutive year that South Africa is hosting the Miss India Worldwide Pageant after Shagun Sarabhai of India was crowned the winner in Lenasia, the huge Indian township south of Johannesburg, at a gala event last year. Sarabhai will hand over the crown to her successor on Valentine's Day as another former winner from India, Fareisa Joemmanbaks of Suriname, looks on.

Saran said that he definitely had a soft spot for South Africa: "I have been coming here since 1991, when South Africa was just beginning to regain its international stature ahead of the first democratic elections, and the local franchisee for the Miss India Worldwide Pageant, Farook Khan, started it off here."

Saran said from just 12 countries participating in the initial event, this has now more than doubled, and the high standard of entries was most gratifying as young women in the Diaspora gained the international recognition denied to so many of their forebears.

Irrfan Khan gussa with Big B

While Slumdog Millionaire is the toast of the media all over the world, Bollywood actor Amitabh Bachchan has made headlines by publicly slamming it. The superstar was upset with the way India’s poverty had been highlighted in the picture. This has saddened the film’s actor Irrfan Khan who plays a cop in the movie.

“I don't know why some Indians feel shy to accept that India is a poor country. We are still a developing country. More than half of population is still poor. Everyone is not a superstar or rich. In India kids still die because of malnutrition. So what if one movie shows poverty in India? The film doesn't show that Indians are bad…it only shows the life in the slums" says Irrfan Khan.

The actor goes on to add that the film is based on a book written by an Indian and that the film has only put on reel what is mentioned in the book.

"I guess Mr. Bachchan has not read the book which is actually written by an Indian writer called Vikas Swaroop. And it is not that the book talks about children who are staying at Taj Hotel, Oberoi Hotel, Bandra's Pali Hill. In the book only it was about slum children. It’s not like the book has something different and he (Danny Boyle) has shown something else. He has not done any imaginary thing with this film…it's the book which he put into his film,” argues Irrfan, “It is not possible for him to show children from a rich family becoming millionaire. And I guess Danny has done a wonderful job in the film. Inspite of arguing or saying that he has shown only poverty we should be proud that he has brought a Golden Globe Award for India. It is because of him only that Indian movies have reached those doors which earlier were not possible."

Even Anil Kapoor who bagged the role of the quiz master after Boyle was unable to reach Shah Rukh Khan or get Amitabh’s dates is upset with the comments made.

“India is a democratic country and we all had a right to say what we think and even you can show your review about the film after watching it. So what Mr. Bachchan has done is that he has just presented his views about the film,” says Anil diplomatically.

Billu Barber - Music Review

EXPECTATIONS
A Shah Rukh Khan film is always special. But what does he do when the film is centered on Irrfan Khan, as also conveyed by the title of the film, with him being only in a special appearance? Well, he only goes full-on to make it as commercial as possible by appearing in number of song and dance appearances. Not just that, he also ropes in some of the top heroines in the industry and makes them dance along with him. If in Om Shanti Om, he had opted for Vishal-Shekhar as the composers, for Billu Barber he gives Pritam the responsibility of creating a hardcore commercial score. While 2008 was superb for the composer with number of back to back successful albums (Jannat, Singh Is Kinng, Race, Kismat Konnection, Golmaal Returns), 2009 also promises to follow suit with Billu Barber beginning the year!

MUSIC
Item song no.1 - that's 'Marjaani' for you! From the very first beat, you know that there is no way this song won't succeed in reaching the top of the charts. A fast paced track that remains Indian at heart even with all the Western beats surrounding it, 'Marjaani' has Pritam giving his all to ensure that his 'jodi' with Kareena Kapoor continues to be a big hit. Remember 'It's Rocking' (Kya Love Story Hai) and 'Yeh Ishq Hai' (Jab We Met)? The fun continues with 'Balkan Mix' and 'Electro House'

He goes on to create 'Love Mera Hit Hit' which he could have composed in his sleep, considering the 'template' feel to it. Item song no.2, it is just a follow up to many a dance floor chartbusters that he has created in movies like Race ('Khwaab Dekhe Jhoothe Moothe') and Kismat Konnection ('Ae Pappi'). 'The House Mix' and 'Remix' version ensure that the song remains with you much after you have heard it first.

Another 'template' song in the album is 'You Get Me Rockin & Reeling' which has a beginning akin to that of 'Zara Zara Touch Me' [Race]. However, soon after it moves to being much more childlike and innocent with the advent of lyrics that go as 'Khudaya Khair'. In fact based on the same tune with just the words 'Khudaya Khair', there is another namesake song that follows later in the album. While the former has a slight Western twang to it, the latter comes with a full-on Indian feel. These two are yet another very good additions to this album that seems to have one chartbuster packed after another in the album.

There is a speed breaker though in the form of 'Ae Aa O' which is the first rock track of the album and doesn't really make you jump with joy in the very first listening. In fact the very sound of 'Ae Aa O' (also appearing later in the remix version) that remains persistent throughout the track is ordinary and straight out of a commercial.

It's a different Pritam that one hears in 'Jaoon Kahan' which is a sad song expected to play in the background at multiple junctures. Though there isn't anything extraordinary about the compositions due to the heard-before factor, 'Jaoon Kahan' is still a soothing number enough to keep your interest in the song to follow. Later, one can sense a clear Priyadarshan influence to the proceedings with 'Billoo Bhayankar' bringing the album to a close. With a rustic folk flavor to it while keeping the fun quotient intact, 'Billoo Bhayankar' is a song that hails the central protagonist of the film played by Irrfan Khan.

LYRICS
'Marjaani' boasts of lyrics that have a characteristic Gulzar touch to them. In fact with the kind of flavor that Pritam brings to his lyrics, one wonders whether we are looking at another Pancham da-Gulzar 'jodi' in the offering since the composer makes it all sound so commercial that one ends up remembering many a chartbuster hits that Pancham da and Gulzar had delivered three decades back! On the other hand, don't bother about lyrics like 'Khit Pit', 'Hit Hit', 'Kudi Tu Sexy' etc. - it's the catchy feel and rhythm that matters most for 'Love Mera Hit Hit' and lyricist Ashish Pandit does well on those grounds! Neeraj Shridhar also turns lyricist for 'Ae Aa O' but the words here aren't anything above ordinary.

Sayeed Quadri and Gulzar write a version each for 'Khudaya Khair' that also arrives as 'You Get Me Rockin & Reeling'. Both the numbers bring in a different flavor though the element of pure and innocent love remains intact in each of the instances. Sayeed Quadri also writes 'Jaoon Kahan' that narrates the state of the protagonist who has lost a lot in his life while Gulzar gets his own take on the protagonist's popularity with 'Billoo Bhayankar'.

VOCALS
Sukhwinder Singh, the voice of Shah Rukh Khan opens 'Marjaani' and allows Sunidhi Chauhan to arrive on the scene who shines in a big way. She is truly in form in her only number in Billu Barber and ensures that her hit record with Kareena Kapoor stays intact. Later K.K. too arrives for the 'Balkan Mix' of the song and adds on to the options available for the final song placement in the film.

Neeraj Shridhar, the voice that never fails Pritam, is in full form again for 'Love Mera Hit Hit' though it is Tulsi Kumar who surprises most with her altogether different style of rendition for Deepika Padukone. Neeraj also sings the solo 'You Get Me Rockin & Reeling' which later arrives as 'Khudaya Khair' with Soham, Akriti Kakar and Monali bringing a certain Indian-ness to the proceedings. With Abhijeet coming back on scene with the 'reprise version' of the same song, one knows what to expect considering the fact that the singer has sung many a hits for Shah Rukh Khan during last 15 odd years!

K.K., who is otherwise so dependable, doesn't really make 'Ae Aa O' rise above ordinary. Most of the times he is capable of turning the most average compositions good due to his sheer prowess behind the mike but in case of 'Ae Aa O', he isn't able to do much even in company of Rana Mazumder and Suraj. On the other hand, Raahat Fateh Ali Khan's voice manages to bring in some 'thehrav' in the proceedings that were being dominated by beats and rhythm all this while. Ajay Jhingaran, Raghuveer and Kalpana come together for a rustic 'Billoo Bhayankar' and though the song is not the next chartbuster in the making, it should help the narrative of Billu Barber.

OVERALL
Billu Barber has a rocking start to it with songs like 'Marjaani' and 'Love Mera Hit Hit' that are guaranteed chartbusters in the making. Though 'Ae Aa O' is the only number that doesn't quite make a mark, 'Khudaya Khair' brings in a nice feel-good touch to it which keeps the flag high for Billu Barber. On the other hand, 'Jaoon Kahan' and 'Billoo Bhayankar' add on to the situational flavor. While the soundtrack should work well for the film, we are not looking at a Race or a Jannat or a Singh Is Kinng that are being played even till date. Still, from the popularity perspective, Billu Barber should go the Kismat Konnection and Golmaal Returns way by being reasonably successful.