Highest-Paid Actresses 2011

Billu BarbarMOVIE DETAILSCast: Irrfan Khan, Lara Dutta and Shah Rukh KhanDirector: PriyadarshanProducer: Gauri KhanMusic: PritamLyrics: GulzarTHE FILMFor a film that revolves around the story of two friends who have been distanced by time and wealth, the most crucial moment for the audience would revolve around 'what happens in the end'? It's the journey towards the finale which would make any story worth following because you know that 'anth mein sab kuch theek ho jaata hai' [as stated by Shah Rukh Khan himself in Om Shanti Om]! So even though you are well aware that the two Khans - Irrfan and Shah Rukh - would ultimately be united, more so because this is a commercial fare by Priyadarshan, you are happy to hop on to the ride.Well, an entertaining ride Billu certainly is and there are no road blocks either. However, when the film reaches it's critical juncture, the one where it is Shah Rukh's turn to acknowledge his friend Irrfan's contribution to his life, it fails to touch your heart. There are no moist eyes, no change in the heart beat, no craving for your loved one - it just turns out to be an ordinary culmination to a story that promised so much more but fizzled out in the end.Ok, so Priyadarshan may well have followed the adage of 'It's special to be ordinary' which also forms his film's punch line but then there has to be something moving about the meeting of two people; an episode around which the entire film is not just focused but also dependent when it comes to a conclusion.As audience you don't really expect an explosive climax in every film starring Shah Rukh Khan. Ok, so Priyadarshan avoided getting all his characters together in his film's climax (and thankfully avoided the pandemonium that has been seen in his earlier efforts like Hungama, Hulchul, Bhagam Bhag, Dhamaal - all of it being good but quite repetitive now)! Still, one expected a little better than the flat ending that Billu suggests!Thankfully, there is an epilogue of sorts with the two Khans coming face to face; something that lifts the film up by a couple of notches at least. Shah Rukh demanding Lara to bring something to eat/drink at his friend's place is a well delivered line which pretty much explains that he has neither forgotten his roots nor his friends. Even otherwise, the strength of Billu lies in it's simplicity. There are no over the top moments except for the ones involving the supporting actors like Om Puri, Rajpal Yadav, Asrani, Manoj Joshi, Rasika Joshi and other regulars with Priyadarshan.As for Irrfan Khan, he demonstrates terrific hold over even those scenes which could have otherwise become highly melodramatic in any other film. He joins everyone and even invites audiences to have a good laugh over his poverty and doesn't make it a weepy saga. Scene after scene, he goes through ridicule and some extremely hard times to earn 'do waqt ki roti' and education for his children. However, he is shown to be laughing it all away with his own brand of humor (subdued in case of this film though) without turning it into either a weep fest or something that is frivolous. In this aspect, Billu works big time.Even otherwise, the dramatic scenes featuring Shah Rukh Khan are well done for 90% of the film. Whether it is his entry into the scene or sheer amusement that he gains at the expense of fan types who surround him all the time or the place where he comes in defense of the film industry (easily the best scene of the film where he gets into a verbal spat with Manoj Joshi), he does it with ease. He plays himself with his own witty self all over his character, something which makes Billu an engaging watch. Watch out for his exasperation when a junior artist is unable to get his lines right. Brilliant!As for Lara Dutta, she does whatever offered to her well but by no angle looks like a gaon-waali! The kids though seem to have been borrowed straight from a village in just the way 'Slumdog Millionaire' kids were handpicked from kids. They do well in every scene offered to them.PACKAGINGBillu is packed in a thick paper and plastic case that lends a high quality feel to the product.DURATIONThe film's duration is 137 minutesSPECIAL FEATURESThe film comes with the bonus features that include:- Making of the Film- Making of the songs ('Marjaani', 'Hit Hit', 'Khudaya Khair')- Deleted ScenesLet's talk about the deleted scenes ones. These are the most uninspiring scenes that one would have seen as a part of the 'Deleted Scenes' segment for a Bollywood flick. There are exactly two scenes lasting five minutes in total. While one features Om Puri, other involves a junior artist, none of being connected to the narrative of the film in any ways. Good they were knocked off in the film.As for the making of the film and the songs section, they take the usual 'interview' route with hardly any insight into what went into the making along with behind the sets happenings. Everyone seems to be mighty pleased about being a part of this film where everyone is in a self proclamation mood about how good it has turned out to be. Come on, can we have others talk about it rather? TECHNICAL DETAILS