Billu (2009)

Too much of everything

At first rather annoying in its heavy emphasis on reenactments, this movie ultimately proves fascinating, simply because the complicated, highly dramatic tale it tells still almost defies belief.

There are moments that feel comical, some horrific, and some downright inspiring but the tonal shifts hardly matter as the end results come to a film that's perfect for this time.

Actress is magnificent and exudes a hypnotic screen presence in this affecting drama.

"Billu" is a bit slow and a simple film that tries to establish a relationship between the stardom and real life and presents a story of friendship. Storywise the film is simple and remains humble, and characters look simply down to earth and is quite well performed by Irfan Khan, Lara Dutta, and Shahrukh Khan. Few dialogues try to illustrate the line of separation between film fantasy and real life. This humble story can be appreciated for its simplicity, but the slow pace and unnecessary dragging of the film at the middle somehow makes it boring. Anyway. though the film is on a whole a bit an unmemorable time passer, its attempt to present the friendship between a poor barber and a film star is appreciable.Rating: 2 stars out of 4

Priyadarshan off recent keeps giving nonsensical stuff After the last flop Akshaye-Paresh Starrer MERE BAAP PEHLE AAP he tries to remake a flop Rajnikant film The film has a nice plot about friendship but the treatment is good in parts onlyThe comedy is now getting boring of Priyadarshan films as it's mostly the same actors(Rajpal, Om) or similar charactersThe plight of Irrfan's lifestyle is well brought out but the entire Sahir thing is overdone, why does the entire gaon go crazy after him and imitate Srk as if they is no one else?This looks like SRK glorification afterall he being the producer of the filmThe item songs and other insider jokes.etc on SRK take a long time then requiredThe film also gets unrealistic when the entire village goes berserk after Irrfan This could've been handled betterHowever the climax is well handled and the emotions are well brought outDirection by Priyadarshan is good in parts but overall not his best yet better then his last films except BHOOL BHULAIYAA Music is good, Marjaani, YOU GET ME ROCKING AND REELING are nice songs and well picturised but forcedAmongst actors Irrfan Khan is the life of the film, he excels in his part and lives up to the role Nice to see him do diverse kinda roles but he could've better read the script again SRK is his usual self and again he plays himself after OSO and the novelty factor is missing, yet he does his best towards the end but his wrinkles could've gone Lara dutta doesn't look a village belle but acts very well Om Puri is as usual Rajpal is wasted again Asrani, Manoj Joshi are as usual again populating Priyan's films

The only reason this movie gets three stars from me, is because at least it's not a copy of some other movie, a tragedy that plagues 9 out of 10 movies coming out of Bollywood, and because Irfan Khan does well in his part.Other than that, this movie has nothing worthwhile to write about. The acting is sophomoroic. The CG scenes are so bad that it's not funny. As another reviewer said Song sequences just pop-up with little tangible relation to the story line. Lara Dutta plays here character terribly (why can't they cast someone who looks the part?) Priyanka Chopra and Kareena Kapoor are thrown in a couple of songs clearly with the clichéd intent to cash in on celebrity cameos. The story is ridiculous. The humour is just not there.But worst of all: This is just a narcissistic, glory-fest to celebrate "King Khan" and the entire movie is nothing but a thinly veiled attempt of promoting the "Shahrukh Khan" brand.It's just too bad that Irfan Khan chooses to work in such shallow movies - truly not a credit in his portfolio. (But I suppose it pays the bills).In a nutshell: Unless you are a psycho Shahrukh Khan fanboy / fangirl, AVOID this movie.

I was sceptical about SRK teaming with Priyan leading to another Paheli. Priyan ensures that he is at the helm of the affairs and does not let his vision undergo dilution. Billu is about Billu and thereby Billu gets maximum mileage. SRK's is confined to the parts where he is required and yes, of course the item songs.Irfan does his part to the utmost satisfaction. The only grumbling is his sarcasm in the state of poverty which doesn't go quite well. Lara Dutta is the surprise package and she carries herself as the villager-wife to the "T".The usual Priyan's regulars are present (except Paresh Rawal, thankfully not a force-fit) and they are as usual dependable. SRK uses the tailor-made opportunity for being a spokesperson for himself, so it is "Me, Me and only Me" in Sahir Khan's part and yet another inner/outer world. Only in the last scene, SRK drops his mask and attempts to give a glimpse into his inner world. Humour is present in adequate doses, so don't expect an out-and-out regular Priyan comedy.The opening credit deserve a special mention, very creative. Finally, the modern version of Krishna-Sudama was not appropriately justified.