Feb 12, 2009 07:51 PM
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(Updated Feb 12, 2009 08:09 PM)
Some people hold to truth which is hard. Truth has no wings or attachments. It is so solid. Desires and dreams on the other hand have many wings. Not many of us like solid truth. We fit wings to it and tempt it to fly. We will add water in the milk, fill air in the balloon till it blow up, and cover up our faces with false make ups. Slowly we train the truth how to fly…but how long the truth can fly with this patch up wings?
On the other hand,there are people who live in virtual world, who sells dreams and have a glittering and dreamy life in outsider’s view. However, can this glamor and dreams give them happiness and freedom which others enjoy without knowing its value? When they possess money and fame doesn't it make a prison out of it, so that the truth and peace cannot enter? How far they can hold to their true self unaffected by the fast pace and vast wings?
Billu is a story of Billu (Irfaan Khan), who is a barber by profession lives a life close to truth and down to earth. He however is not ready to give up his values in front of struggles - even when his children are been thrown out of school or when his earnings get reduced day by day. His children make fun of him but his wife (Lara Dutta) with whom he ran away from the home village share his struggles. Billu is also the story of Zahir Khan (Shahrukh Khan) who was a class mate of Billu and now flying all high and the superstar of the time. Each success comes with attached strings ofdanger and he is now having a Z category security. Zahir Khan's unit comes to a small city near to Billu's village. The news is been flashed that Billu and Zahir were classmates and the life is not the same again for him. Watch Billu (Billu Barber) to know more about it.
The movie is a remake of Malayalam super hit 'KathaParayumbol'. Priyadarsan has done an excellent job in replanting the story to a different soil with perfection. This remake is on par or a bit better than the original in many aspects. (In the climax however Mammootty definitely took an edge over Shahrukh Khan). When the project was first announced I was less convinced that this is a product which will go in line with the tastes of Bollywood audience. However, after watching the movie I now think wish and expect my earlier conviction to find wrong.
The director who has proved many times that he is a superhit director for comedy movies. He however also proved that he is more than a comedy director. Billu Barber is definitely a superior product from Priyadarsan. With the help of a fine story (Sreenivasan)the movie keep the audience engaged and in the hands of Priyan the characters got more strong and the presentation far better. With the added technical brilliance and glamor the film is well made in a commercial format but applause is on for keeping the soul intact. All congrats to Priyadarsan! (Screen play is very good and dialogues need special mention.)
Irfaan Khan is known for his excellent performance in many films and Billu gives a perfect platform for this brilliant artist and see how he performs! Superb!! Shahrukh Khan is more natural in the film where the role demands exactly the same. The climax scene gives an excellent opportunity to the actor to show his caliber and Shahrukh did a good job. His dance scenes well mixed to the plot and he was quite cool in them as well. Lara Duttawho dared to play the typical village woman and mother of two in the glamor filled industry proved more than a point. Two child artists were natural and cool. Rajpal Yadav and Om Puri had to settle with small roles but they added fun in many places. Jagadeesh could not create the magic he did in the original or his earlier outings in bollywood. Asrani, Manoj Joshi & Rasika Joshi all did their small roles convincingly.
Cinematography is first class. The beauty of a virgin village or a poor but naughty night Manikandan's camerawork is an added attraction. The closeup shots in the climax scenes however could have been better. Otherwise it is a beautiful work by the cinematographer who created the mood for each frame in the style required for it.
For a change I had heard the films songs earlier but somehow didn't attracted me much, except the Khudaya Kher. However on screen the other songs too were looking good. Choreography is competent. The song shot on Shahrukh and Deepika is the best choreographed with good creativity. The song which mixes various Shahrukh film parts is innovative and will surely makes some nostalgia. Other songs too choreographed well but less creative in comparison.
Editing is one department Priyadarsan need to fix a quality editor whose absence can make a difference to a film. This time around the damage is less. Only on few scenes the fault comes out otherwise the film is well edited in most parts. However, have to say in the hands of a good editor the climax scene would have been definitely better.
The film has all it takes to keep a viewer to stick to the seat and we could not ask for better. Fora Shahrukh Khan fan this may be a treat where one can identify with the situations better. I have to make my reservation on the box office success of the film but the best possibility is that this film may become a hit among classes and masses where the film has something for both the groups to identify with. The film may not be a match to the romance mood on air, but it is a good entertainer and a good cinema. Go for it!
Do tell me what happens when the truth which tries to fly away meets with a dream which landed on earth with its soul intact?
