Shahrukh Khan’s Billu Barber is now Billu

The association of hairdressers in India are miffed with Shahrukh Khan for using the word Barber in the title of his next flick, Billu Barber.

Irrfan Khan as Billu in Billu Barber

The Hairdresser Association is demanding that the title of Billu Barber should be changed to Billu Hairdresser. Uday Takke, President, Salon and Beauty Parlors Association, has said that the word Barber is actually a caste name, like nai or hajaam, and that hairdressers are not barbers by caste, therefore the word Barber should not be used. The logic escapes me as it probably escapes the producer of the movie, Shahrukh Khan, but he has skirted the issue smartly by deciding to drop the word Barber from the title in all hoardings of the Billu Barber.

While it is too late to change the title of the movie, Shahrukh Khan has said in an interview, the new title in the hoardings will now be Billu. Just Billu. Some reports have said that is likely that the title of the movie may be changed from Billu Barber to Billu at a later date, but it is still unconfirmed news.

Shahrukh Khan and Deepika Padukone in the song Love Mera Hit from Billu Barber

Now if the hairdresser association still protests and has a problem with the title Billu, they can always settle on Billu Scissorhands!

But there could be another problem. What if wannabe upmarket hairdressers don’t like being addressed as Billu or Billu Hairdresser? They can, of course, take a page out of the book of American born desis and demand that the title Billu be changed to Bill.

Lara Dutta in Billu Barber

After all when Samarjit can become Sam, Chidamber can become Chad, and Kalpen Modi can become Kal Penn, why can’t Billu be Bill? Just Bill. After all, Shahrukh’s movie could profit as well. They could insert a song Just Bill Bill..just Bill, to the tune of Just Chill Chill…just Chill. Who’s to complain?

Anyway, Shahrukh Khan is doing his best to placate the hairdresser jing bang and has invited over 400 hairdressers and their families to the premiere of Billu, that will be held on February 12, 2009.

Irrfan Khan in a still from Billu Barber

Earlier, Red Chillies Entertainment had tied up with 500 hairdressers across India to display the posters of Billu, as a pre-release marketing tactic. They had also sent CDs of the films to the 500 hairdressers to be played in the parlors.

Billu will be released on February 13, 2008.

Kareena Kapoor in the song Marjaani from Billu Barber

The movie is a remake of the 2007 Malayalam hit Kadha Parayumbol.

Billu stars Irrfan Khan, Shahrukh Khan (in a cameo), Lara Dutta, Om Puri, Rajpal Yadav, and Asrani. Billu will have special appearances by Kareena Kapoor in the song Marjaani, Deepika Padukone in Love Mera Hit, and Priyanka Chopra in You Get Me Rockin & Reeling.

The screenplay, penned by Manisha Korde and Mushtaq Shaikh, is based on the original story by Sreenivasan. Billu is directed by Priyadarshan.

The movie revolves around a “hairdresser” Billu (Irrfan Khan) who is trying to keep afloat his crumbling business, but refuses to adopt new hair trends to lure back his customers. Then, a superstar (Shahrukh Khan) comes to the village for a shooting. Billu says claims the superstar is a childhood friend. Billu now becomes the village favorite because all the villagers want to meet the superstar, but Billu is hesitant to approach the superstar in case he does not recognize him. The villagers stop believing Billu and call him a cheat.