Sometimes I do get bored watching the same plot of movies. I admit that I love watching romance, comedy, and inspiring movies. I love watching Hindustan movies because they are great at story-telling with some nice music. I first watched Billu Barber in 2010 and I love the plot as it contains how people react to certain situations.
Billu has some much to tell, and one thing that I love is how this movie tries to include all the consequences for every action that we take. For instance, there are some people who would never want to see us become successful, a fierce competition even between small businesses. There are tons of advices in this movie, and the most notable one is to never forget the kindness of the person who helped you when you have nothing.
Billu (Irrfan Khan) is a poor barber who lives with his wife Bindiya (Lara Dutta) and their two children, Gunja (Mitali Mayekar) and Ronak (Pratik Dalvi) in the village of Budbuda. He also spends time with his close friends Budbudiya (Rajpal Yadav) and Naubat Chacha (Asrani). Billu lives an uneventful life until Bollywood superstar Sahir Khan (Shah Rukh Khan) comes to the village for a film shoot.
Billu has mentioned to his family that he knows Sahir from the past but has never elaborated how he knows the star. When his children talk about their father’s friendship with the star, word spreads throughout the village. Virtually overnight, Billu, who had previously been scorned by most due to his lowly state, becomes the center of attention. People who had spurned him only the week before now call him a close friend so that he will introduce them to Sahir. Billu refuses and downplays the friendship. Even so, the powerful businessman Sahukaar Daamchand (Om Puri) demands to see Sahir and offers Billu expensive gifts in order to gain such a meeting. When Billu consistently fails to introduce the people of the village to Sahir, his situation changes once again. He is accused of lying about his friendship and everyone – including his wife and children – begin to doubt his character and integrity. Rather than defend himself, Billu remains quiet about the nature of his and Sahir’s friendship.
On Sahir’s last day in the village, the star speaks at a local school. He tells the children about his own impoverished childhood when he had nothing but a special bond of friendship with another young boy, named Billu. It was Billu who had taken care of Sahir and eventually helped him travel to Mumbai by giving him his gold earring where Sahir became a star. Billu, who is standing at the back of the event, leaves during the talk without revealing to Sahir that he is there. However, the townspeople realized their error, and take Sahir to Billu’s house. Billu’s children come home and apologise to their father. Then, Sahir appears in his home, spend some time with Billu alone and is reunited. In the end, Sahir must leave for another shoot but promises that his and Billu’s friendship is reignited and will remain friends.
Source: Wikipedia, Billu
The movie also tells how a gossip can spread as fast as lightning, and it can turn into a disaster. Those around you will change instantly and become your friends when they know you have something ‘valuable’, and leave you when you are no longer seen as ‘valuable’ to them. I admire the character of Billu as he did not try to boast about Sahir, as he just kept it a secret – their friendship is a secret. The only thing that he wanted in return was Sahir to always remember him and helped those who are in need.
Billu Barber is not a romantic movie, I find it is an interesting story revolving the people around you.
p.s. It is really sad to know that Irrfan has just passed away. Gone to soon but he will always be remembered as a great actor.
