UNSTOPPABLE TANAY....

REVIEW OF BILLU BARBER
-TANAY TARANY

Before reading anything furthur, kindly go to your songs list. Check out that song in CC2C- in which akshay kumar bluntly declares himself the kingmain hu akshay kumar main hu king and and heckdont know what else.

Cut to Billu now!! Shah Rukh Khan ensures that Akshay Kumar gets the fact correctly through a film. YeahBillu celebrates the stardom of Shah Rukh Khansimply a treat for an SRK fan(and I had a tummy full!!!). it shows you how big the king isa bit of self appraisal by the king as its his home production but then the name and the status of his character- saahir khan is a reason good enough to justify such pompousness. So we have a great crowd cheering for the kinga flashback of his glorious era of reign(which still continues.), his movie posters displayed all over BudBuda(thats the villages name). And boyhow can I forget that blue helicopter which has king khan inscribed over it?? The most difficult role for an actor is to be himself in front of camera.and the king does that with the same grace that he showed in his 3 min. stint in luck by chance. King does have a considerable amount of presence-at least more than what I had expected. But at times we do find him in OSO frame of mind..thats ok as its an actors role.

But the real winner is Irrfan Khanyet again he never acts. The fellow looks absolutely naturalnegating the presence of camera every time he appears. He displays the ignominy, the insecurities, the confusions and the complex feelings of a poor friend when the entire village is going gaga over the arrival of his star friend. The film grips you frm the very beginning as they show the miniscule objects that we see at a barbers shop and never take notice of. As the cinema proceeds Irrfan makes sure that its not the regular Pridarshan comedy which makes you laugh by creating funny confusions. It seems Irrfan carries an acting measuring scale..which enables him to behave in an absolute manner. Yes it is humorous.but in a very subtle mannerwhich does ensures few roaring laughter moments..but you do have a smile during almost every shot of the film. And when you have nothing to smile at inbetween,you have the three gorgeous ladies gyrating along with the king.(sigh!!...they were too goodcant decide which one was betterwas it deepikaor kareenaor prichops???...cant tellm confused.all of them perhaps!!!)

Newspapers have written few good words about the climax. They should have used a few more of them. SRK finally bring backs those emotions that we missed in last few of his films(chak de apart!!!). yes he moistens your eyes when he tells about his childhoodhe makes you to miss your school & college buddies as he discusses friendshipand he does make your head nodding in agreement when he declares that childhood days are the best time of your life. He does what he is best at. makes strange ex-pressionsbites his lipsand tht everything which have made the mothers, sisters and aunts in India and abroad to weep over the last two decades.

No need to mention om purie and rajpal I supposethey have predictable rolesbut they have perfected the art of making even the predictable interestinghavent they???

And hey.we even had lara dutta in the film!! In the village attire she seemed really beautiful.simply but realygood.at least much better than she looks in her western outfits!!!!

The film does take some dig over the contemporary bollywood scenariosome digs at akki and sallubut kings presence makes it looks very dignified. Wonder why bollywood has become so self centredtoo many films about itself!! The film captures the Indian mania over the cinema stars.schools, dhobighat, marketeverything thing comes to life as they listen about the arrival of the star!!
The desperation of kids meeting his saahir chacha and that of lara meeting her deverjee were really heart touching!! Its one of those fairy tales that we heard by our mothers and grandmothers during those story telling bedtime!!

Final word I know its becoming repeatating though.. let the shirtless chap shoot in rajasthan fortslet the bald guy stay in IIM-A as he tries being a perfectionist.hardly mattersits the king who rules the world!!!

(SHAHRUKH KHAN,THE ACTOR HAS MANAGED TO BE AN ARDANT HERO OF THE WRITER.... )