It’s the story of Billu, a subdued, meek barber who struggles to make ends meet while running his saloon in Dubduba village. Life changes when the country’s biggest filmstar, Sahir Khan, comes to Dubduba to shoot his film.
Word gets around that Billu and Sahir used to be childhood friends and all of a sudden, Billu’s standing in the village goes up tenfold. The village miser buys him expensive hair styling equipment, neighbours drop off biryani for dinner and his kids’ school even offers to pay for their education — all on one condition — that he introduce them to Sahir Khan.
His wife Bindiya (Lara Dutta) also begins to enjoy the attention, confessing to her husband that she has no qualms advertising his “friendship” if it means more respect from the villagers.
To save his reputation, Billu tries desperately to meet Sahir, but to no avail. When the shoot is about to end and the starstruck villagers realise Billu will not be able to guarantee any access to the big star, they turn hostile.
How Billu deals with this crisis, and whether Sahir and Billu finally meet forms the climax of the film.If you want to watch this movie for technical brilliance or tight script, I would not recommend that. But yes, there is a heart & soul to keep this movie going.
Billu is not a Sharukh Khan movie - It is Irrfan’s. SRK plays what can be called a secondary role. It’s only at the end he tones down his expressions & look interested in the film.
Lara Dutta tries really hard to play the doting village wife, but her English-accented Hindi gives her away. Watch out for Irrfan Khan, he is brilliant as Billu, bringing the right amount of meekness, bumbling simpleton quality that endears his character say to you.
I think the movie should have stayed simple and all the flashy songs and dances should have been spared from the movie. They were nothing but distraction from the core story.
On the whole, go watch “Billu” for Irrfan Khan and for its soul — and ignore the rest of it.