'Billu' is quite 'bhayankar'

Film: Billu
Director: Priyadarshan
Cast: Irrfan, Lara Dutta and Shah Rukh Khan
Rating: **

After the emotional attyachar last week, it's Billu bhayankar for you this time. The title song – Billu Bhayankar – is among Billu's more interesting moments, with the word hajaam clearly muted after the controversy with the Hairdressers' Association. 

Priyadarshan is back with what his producer and 'star', Shah Rukh Khan, says is his best film after Virasat. Not a very tough list to beat, with Hungama, Bhaagam Bhaag, Bhool Bhulaiya, Garam Masala and the likes being money-making propositions, but not really anywhere close to what the director achieved with his initial films - Gardish, Kalapaani and Virasat.

Two films that stood out after Priyan replaced David Dhawan's 90s comic capers in the new millennium with his silly entertainers include Hera Pheri, which is easily among the most-watched films on the idiot box and Malaamal Weekly. The latter was set in the hinterland and was a story about a group of villagers doing a Jaane Bhi Do Yaaron with a dead man and a lottery ticket.

With Billu, Priyan enters the Malamaal Weekly territory again. In no way does he do better though. Malamaal… still remains his best since Virasat. If anything at all, Billu might be appreciated for its heartfelt climax sequence, which is really, the film's biggest highlight and two great performances by the Khan duo – Shah Rukh and Irrfan. But is an entire film – replete with illogical, unfunny sequences and characters that irritate no end – justified for a good climax? Hardly.

So you sit and grimace as one loud character after another from Budbuda gaon try to elicit a laugh from you. You chuckle at two-and-a-half places exactly. This village is weird. Firstly, they only watch films that has superstar Sahir Khan (SRK, of course) in them. At least it seems like that. Why would every poster in the village be of a film Sahir stars in otherwise? So obviously, when Sahir-crazy Budbuda is chosen as location for his next film, the weirdos go berserk.

Somehow, they find out about the friendship between village bumpkin Billu (Irrfan) and the star. Now Billu is in a bad state. His kids think of him as a loser, business isn't thriving and there are loans to be paid. Billu is a barber by the way, but that's something lost in controversy. Billu plays down the friendship, but the village is convinced that he is their only way to have a brush with the superstar.

Irrfan, as Billu, is natural as natural can be. Along with the 'other hero', he makes the film somewhat watch able. Lara Dutta is apt. Why in hell is Om Puri doing roles where he points at his private part and calls it the 'ninth wonder of the world' isn't understandable. Neither is the humour.

In a role where the lines between Shah Rukh and Sahir blur, the actor gives it his all. Either in the item songs with Kareena, Priyanka (steaming) and Deepika or delivering the monologue in the climax in his inimitable style, Shah Rukh tries to give you your money's worth. If he just about succeeds, it's no fault of his.

The script is to be blamed. Priyadarshan takes part-credit for it, like he does for every other film he's remade. Funnily, the original Malayalam Katha Parayumbol just doesn't seem to be an easy film to emulate. Even the demi-God status of Rajinikanth couldn't save the Tamil remake, Kuselan and this one too, is just about average.

Unless you're a die-hard Khan fan (doesn't matter which one of the two), you might just about enjoy this one.