Character actors were brilliant in Billu Barber.
Those who have watched Priyadarshan’s films in the past know about his capability of utilizing the potentiality of character artists in his films. Furthermore he had the record of using many character actors together in his own films. The best example can be Malamaal Weekly. Paresh Rawal, Om Puri, Asrani, Shakti Kapoor, Sudha Chandran, all contributed in their own way in the film. The comedy sequences were very intelligently directed and the film was well accepted by the viewers.
The same thing happened in the film Billu Barber. The character artists those who were used by Priyadarshan did a great job. Om Puri was a money lender in the film. He relationship with Irfan Khan, the barber in the film, totally changed from the time he came to know that Shahrukh Khan, a star who had come in the village to shoot his film, was a friend of Irfan Khan. Om Puri’s comedy conception had been witnessed by the viewers in landmark films in the past like Jane Bhi Do Yaaron, Chachi 420, etc. He continued his great work in Billu Barber as well.
Rajpal Yadav was an aspiring poet in the film. He also did a great work in the film. He initially never gave that amount of respect to Irfan Khan, the barber in the film Billu Barber. From the time he came to know about Irfan Khan’s association with Shahrukh Khan in the film, his reaction towards Irfan Khan changed altogether.
Lara Dutta acted in a non-glamourous role, playing the role of the mother of two children and the wife of Irfan Khan in the film. Although she had acted in dynamic roles like the role of lawyer in the film Bardasht, or the role of car driver in the film Zinda, this role in Billu Barber was very realistic in nature and Lara Dutta had done full justice to the role.
Irfan Khan himself is known for realistic performances in films of Madhur Bhandarkar and other noted directors. In Billu Barber he exhibited his emotions in respect of love, pride, thoughtfulness together at different intervals of the film. He was the central character and the success of the film depended more on him than Shahrukh Khan.
Even Rasika Joshi, playing the role of the principal of the school, where Shahrukh Khan came and visited during his film shooting, did a marvelous job. The performance did not have mannerisms and was totally down to earth in form.
Only Kareena Kapoor, Priyanka Chopra and Deepika Padukone poured in their mannerisms during the dance sequences in the film, but the script required them badly. Overall Priyadarsha had used his resources to perfection and for those reasons the film should do extremely well.
