'Billu': Ordinary lives, extraordinary people

BILLU
Cast: Irrfan Khan, Shah Rukh Khan, Lara Dutta
Director: Priyadarshan
Rating: ***

Irrfan Khan is Billu, and Billu is Irrfan Khan. As the impoverished but determined, good-humoured and humble village barber, he is a class apart. Indeed he is the main reason to watch Priyadarshan’s Hindi version of the Malayalam hit film Kadha Parayumbol. Irrfan brings a stoical dignity to his role and conveys so much while appearing to do so little.

The location is meant to be Budbuda village in UP. But cinematographer Manikandan presents such lush locales that you are willing to overlook the fact that Budbuda looks more like someplace Kerala.

Sabu Cyril’s art direction adds richness to the proceedings which are rounded with Shah Rukh Khan’s larger-than-life presence. Reality and fiction are blurred as Shah Rukh plays Sahil Khan (a Padmashree referred to as King Khan), a singing, dancing hero who is the star of films like Asoka, Koyla, Chak De India, Dil Se etc. Beyond his celebrity status, he is presented as a voice for the film industry, rubbishing rumours and misconceptions associated with actors.

Billu’s challenging but routine life gets disrupted with the arrival of superstar Sahil and his crew in his village. News of a friendship between the two drives the village to raptures and distorts a reluctant Billu’s world, which comprises of his modest salon, two children and wife. Lara Dutta’s urban body language and mannerisms hamper her ability to pass off as a village belle and Billu’s star-struck wife. She leads the list of casting snafus including Priyadarshan favourites like Rajpal Yadav and Manoj Joshi (who makes no attempt to adopt a UP accent).

Surprisingly for a Shah Rukh Khan film, while the songs are visually grand and the cameos a nice gimmick, the music and choreography are disappointing. The last 10 minutes or so of the film compensate for a lacklustre middle.

Billu is the story of unconditional love and friendship, of simple people’s ordinary lives and the ordinary pasts of extraordinary people. It’s a comment on people’s blind faith, obsession with movie stars, need for escapism and desire to believe whatever they need to. Thanks to the two Khans, the film touches you in an unexpected way.