Billu(2009)
Billu is a 2009 Indian Hindi-language comedy drama film directed by Priyadarshan. It stars Irrfan Khan as Billu, a poor barber, and Shah Rukh Khan as superstar Sahir Khan. The supporting cast includes Lara Dutta, Om Puri, and Govardhan Asrani. The story follows Billu, a struggling barber in a small village, who hides his childhood friendship with a famous movie star. The film explores themes of pride, friendship, and social pressure in a close-knit community. It is a remake of the 2007 Malayalam film Kadha Parayumbol. The film was produced by Red Chillies Entertainment. It received positive reviews for its heartfelt storytelling and strong performances. Billu was released on 13 February 2009.
Quick Facts
- Streaming on
- Netflix
- Theatrical Release
- 13 February 2009
- Director
- Priyadarshan
- Language
- Hindi
- Runtime
- 2h 16m
- Rating
- 6.1/10
Storyline
Billu is a poor barber in a small Indian village. His life is hard. He struggles to feed his wife and children. Then the biggest movie star in the country comes to his village to shoot a film. Billu knows this star. They were childhood best friends. But Billu is too proud to say anything. Will he let go of his pride and reconnect with his old friend?
“A friend is never far away”
Film Details
Parental Guide
Where to Watch
Vibe & Tags
Cast & Crew
Reunion Meter
Frequent partnerships reunited for Billu
Cast reunions in this film: Manoj Joshi & Rajpal Yadav (20 films together), Priyadarshan & Rajpal Yadav (14 films together), Om Puri & Rajpal Yadav (14 films together), Rajpal Yadav & Asrani (14 films together), Om Puri & Manoj Joshi (11 films together), and Priyadarshan & Asrani (10 films together).
Trivia
- The film is a remake of the 2007 Malayalam movie 'Katha Parayumbol', which was also directed by Priyadarshan.
- Shah Rukh Khan, the lead actor, did not charge any fee for his role and instead took a share of the film's profits.
- The character Billu was originally written for actor Sanjay Dutt, but he was replaced by Irrfan Khan due to scheduling conflicts.
- The film's soundtrack was composed by Pritam, but one song, 'Khudaya Khair', was actually composed by singer Sonu Nigam.
- A special appearance was made by several Bollywood stars, including Kareena Kapoor and Deepika Padukone, in the song 'Marjaani'.
- The movie was promoted with the title 'Billu Barber', but the word 'Barber' was dropped after protests from barber associations in India.
- Priyadarshan shot the film in a real village in Wai, Maharashtra, to capture authentic rural surroundings.