Lara Dutta Replaces Tabu in Srk’s Red Chillies Entertainment

Veteran Director Priyadarshan admits he had written the female lead of his forthcoming movie ‘Billo Barber’ with favourite actress Tabu in mind but had to settle for Lara Dutta instead due to date problems.

Priyadarshan and Tabu have done great work together in films like ‘Viraasat’ and ‘Kala Pani’. The versatile actress even agreed to do an inconsequential role in ‘Hera Pheri’ only for Priyadarshan’s sake. ‘Billo Barber’ is being produced by superstar Shah Rukh Khan.

Said Priyadarshan: ‘It’s a role of a full-on firebrand village girl. And it’s patterned on Tabu’s role in my ‘Viraasat’. I’ve to admit I think of Tabu for every female lead. But Lara is sensitive and strong enough to carry this role off with elaan.’ He said that Lara plays the wife of a barber, portrayed by Irrfan Khan. ‘Though the character belongs to a higher caste, she defies social norms and the diktats of the village to marry a barber. Lara’s sophisticated image hasn’t come in the way of her performance at all. She’ll shock you,’ Priyadarshan says.

A source close to the project said: ‘There was a certain amount of reservation about the part when Lara heard it was opposite Irrfan. Lara is extremely conscious of her co-stars’ status. Earlier she had refused Anil Kapoor’s ‘Short Cut’ with Arshad Warsi.  ‘But the temptation of being in the same film with Shah Rukh prevailed. She had never been in any film with him and he’s producing ‘Billo Barbar’. She sees this as stepping stone to a film with Shah Rukh.’  Source