Billu

Billu is the good-natured barber of Budbuda village.  Sadly, his barbershop has fallen into disrepair and his customers have been stolen by flashy Modern Madan, so his family is struggling to get by.  Things look up when Bollywood superstar Sahir Khan comes to Budbuda for a film shoot.  The whole village goes mad with Sahir Khan fever.  All the men get Sahir haircuts and the street vendors sell Sahir sunglasses.  And everyone wants to meet Sahir.

Everyone except Billu, who knew Sahir when he was younger but is quite sure a big film star wouldn't remember him.  He makes the mistake of telling his children this, and of course they tell all their friends who tell all their teachers who tell everyone else.  Suddenly Billu is a reluctant hero!  Being garlanded and carried about wherever he goes!  Hooray for Billu!  Billu is the best barber in the world ever!  And can you introduce me/my wife/all my children to Sahir Khan?  You get the idea.

This is another film from Peter's Bollywood library and it reminded me a lot of 1940's screwball Hollywood comedies, like "Hail The Conquering Hero" or something where you have a reluctant protagonist, surrounded by a bunch of bonkers character actors who NEVER LISTEN.  There are some very very funny parts, my favourite being the Oliver Hardy-esque Mr. Daamchand, the village miser who spends most of the film falling over, getting injured and then carried off with a cry of, "Take me to the cheapest hospital!"  There's also a brilliant song of praise to Billu which is wonderfully over the top, claiming that "Billu is more famous than anybody else in the world" and "If you hang lemons from his moustache they turn into oranges".*

As another bonus, the part of Bollywood superstar Sahir Khan is played by Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan having lots of fun sending himself and his movies up (there's a brilliant bit where he arrives in a spaceship for a big song and dance routine).  So I enjoyed Billu a lot, and it ends with a lump in the throat moment when.... no, I won't spoil it.  9/10

*  Billu does not, in fact, have a moustache.