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Promotional Poster
Directed by Priyadarshan
Produced by Gauri Khan
Screenplay by Manisha Korde
Mushtaq Sheikh
Story by Sreenivasan
Starring Irrfan Khan
Lara Dutta
Shahrukh Khan
Om Puri
Rajpal Yadav
Music by Pritam
Cinematography V.Manikandan
Edited by Arun Kumar
Distributed by Red Chillies Entertainment
Release date(s)
  • 13 February 2009 (2009-02-13)
Running time 150 minutes
Country India
Language Hindi
Budget INR230 million (US$3.9 million)
Box office INR320 million (US$5.4 million)[1] (Domestic gross only)

Billu (Hindi: बिल्लू), originally titled Billu Barber and released under that title in the United States,[2][3] is a 2009 Bollywood film by Priyadarshan, produced by Red Chillies Entertainment, with an adapted screenplay by Manisha Korde and Mushtaq Sheikh based on the script by Sreenivasan. It stars Irrfan Khan and Lara Dutta in the lead roles and features Shahrukh Khan (portraying a fictional version of himself), Om Puri, Rajpal Yadav and Asrani in supporting roles. Kareena Kapoor, Deepika Padukone,[4] and Priyanka Chopra[5] make guest appearances in item numbers. The film was released on 13 February 2009.

It is an official adaptation of the 2007 critically acclaimed Malayalam film Kadha Parayumbol. It is also a retelling of the story of Sudama and Krishna.[6] The film was screened at the 2009 Hawaii International Film Festival.[7]


Billu (Irfan Khan) is a poor barber who lives with his wife Bindiya (Lara Dutta) and their two children, Gunja (Mitali Mayakar) and Ronak (Pratik Dalvi) in the village of Budbuda. He also spends time with his close friends Budbudiya (Rajpal Yadav) and Naubat Chacha (Asrani). Though struggling, Billu lives an uneventful life until Bollywood superstar Sahir Khan (Shahrukh Khan) comes to the village for a film shoot.


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 friendship with another young boy, named Billu. It was Billu who had taken care of Sahir and eventually helped him travel to Mumbai 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. But the townspeople, realising their error, take Sahir to Billu's house. Billu's children come home and apologise to their father. Then, Sahir appears in his car and is reunited with Billu. In the end, Sahir must leave for another shoot but promises that his and Billu's friendship is reignited and will remain friends.


Director Priyadarshan cast Shahrukh Khan and Lara Dutta in pivotal roles in the film. While these roles were initially offered to Akshay Kumar and Tabu, Kumar eventually opted out of the project[8] as did Tabu.[9] The director then offered Kumar's and Tabu's role to Shahrukh Khan and Amisha Patel respectively, and both of them agreed to do the film.[10] Patel also opted out of the film[11] and sources have indicated that Juhi Chawla was signed on for the role.[12]

In April 2008, the director announced that he had cast Lara Dutta as Billu's wife.[13] The cast began filming for the project on 8 April 2008[14] and according to Shahrukh Khan, "the film is a sweet story of friendship...quite similar to the bond shared between Krishna and Sudama."[4] The film also features Kareena Kapoor, Priyanka Chopra and Deepika Padukone in item numbers with Shahrukh Khan.[15]


Special appearances in item numbers with Khan



Billu had a poor opening in India and c by the end of its theatrical run. Box Office India declared it a flop.




Soundtrack album by Pritam
Released 5 January 2009 (2009-01-05)
Genre Feature film soundtrack
Length 70:64
Label T-Series
Producer Gauri Khan
Pritam chronology
Golmaal Returns (2008) Billu (2009) Ek: The Power Of One (2009)


No. Title Lyrics Artist(s) Length
1. "Marjaani"   Gulzar Sukhwinder Singh, Sunidhi Chauhan  
2. "Love Mera Hit Hit"   Ashish Pandit, Mayur Puri Neeraj Shridhar, Tulsi Kumar  
3. "You Get Me Rocking & Reeling"   Sayeed Quadri Neeraj Shridhar, Dominique Cerejo  
4. "Ae Aa O"   Neeraj Shridhar KK, Suraj Jagan, Rana Mazumder  
5. "Jaaun Kahan"   Sayeed Quadri Rahat Fateh Ali Khan  
6. "Billu Bhayankar"   Gulzar Ajay Jhingran, Kalpana Patowary  
7. "Khudaya Khair"   Gulzar Soham Chakraborty, Akriti Kakkar, Monali Thakur  


The film was originally titled Billu Barber, but salon and beauty parlour associations raised objections by finding the word "Barber" derogatory.[20] As head of the film's production company, Shahrukh Khan eventually removed the word from the movie title and promotions,[21] renaming the film Billu. He also invited 'The Hairdressers' Association of Mumbai members to the premier of the movie in order to assuage their protests.[22]


  1. ^ "". Retrieved 2011-08-12. 
  2. ^ a b Tsering, Lisa, "Film Review: Billu Barber"[dead link], The Hollywood Reporter
  3. ^ a b Lovece, Frank, "Film Review: Billu Barber", Film Journal International
  6. ^ BILLU BARBER to rekindle the Krishna-Sudama friendship[dead link]
  7. ^
  15. ^ Tanwar, Sarita (27 October 2008). "Itâs silly and embarrassing". Retrieved 2011-08-12. 
  16. ^ Elley, Derek,Billu Barber (review), Variety
  21. ^ "Coming soon: Billu, not Barber". Retrieved 2009-02-13. [dead link]

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