Priyadarshan Reflects on Billu Barber, Says Too Many Songs Were His ‘One Mistake’ While Portraying Shah Rukh Khan’s Stardom

Veteran filmmaker Priyadarshan is currently preparing for the release of his upcoming horror-comedy Bhooth Bangla, which reunites him with actor Akshay Kumar after more than a decade. As excitement builds around the film, the director also reflected on some of his earlier projects and the lessons he learned from them.

In a recent conversation with IndyaStory, Priyadarshan looked back at his 2009 drama Billu Barber, starring Irrfan Khan and featuring Shah Rukh Khan in a prominent role. The filmmaker admitted that one creative decision in the film turned out to be a mistake.

Priyadarshan on portraying Shah Rukh Khan in Billu Barber

During the interaction, a fan asked the director how challenging it was to present Shah Rukh Khan as a superstar in a story largely centered on Irrfan Khan’s character.

Priyadarshan responded that it was not difficult at all, as Shah Rukh Khan’s star image was already firmly established.

According to him, the actor’s larger-than-life presence did not require elaborate storytelling adjustments.

“Just say Shah Rukh Khan as a star. Nobody can question that,” he remarked, suggesting that the script did not need to work hard to establish the actor’s fame within the narrative.

The director admits one key mistake

The conversation also touched on the emotional climax of the film, particularly the scene where Shah Rukh Khan’s character Sahir Khan speaks about his childhood friend Billu while Billu quietly leaves the event.

When asked why the emotional impact of that moment did not fully resonate with audiences, Priyadarshan acknowledged that the film’s pacing may have suffered because of the number of songs included.

“I made one mistake in the film. I added too many songs, which I shouldn’t have. Because of that, the screenplay became a little loose,” the filmmaker admitted.

He added that the sequence was meant to be one of the most emotional moments in the story, but the narrative flow did not support it as strongly as he had originally intended.

Focus shifts to Bhooth Bangla

Meanwhile, Priyadarshan is gearing up for the release of Bhooth Bangla, which marks his reunion with Akshay Kumar after nearly 14 years.

The fantasy horror-comedy features an ensemble cast including Paresh Rawal, Tabu, Wamiqa Gabbi, Rajpal Yadav, and Asrani.

The film is scheduled to release in theatres on April 10, 2026.