According to industry tracker Saknilk, Varun Dhawan’s ‘Baby John’ took a lackluster start on Christmas Day and collected Rs 12.5 crore on the first day. Directed by Kallis and produced by Atlee, it marks Varun’s debut in the mass action genre.
Varun Dhawan’s Baby John box office collection
Despite releasing during the holiday season, ‘Baby John’ struggled to make an impact at the box office. The film recorded 24.97% Hindi occupancy on its opening day, with 1046 shows in Delhi-NCR (25.75% occupancy) and 801 shows in Mumbai (26.25% occupancy). However, it could not surpass the impressive earnings of ‘Pushpa 2: The Rule’ or ‘Mufasa: The Lion King’.
In comparison, ‘Pushpa 2’, which is now in its third week, earned Rs 19.75 crore on its 21st day, including Rs 15 crore from Hindi shows alone. ‘Mufasa’, which is enjoying a multilingual release, collected Rs 14.25 crore on the sixth day due to the holiday season.
#onewordreview,#babyjohn:Maas-Masala.
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️½
A funky action-packed hardcore mass entertainer… despite the tried and tested formula, boasting some solid, commendable moments… #VarunDhawanIn mass mode, in super form. #babyjohnreviewAn adaptation of… pic.twitter.com/NZGgBFu8Ix
– Tran Adarsh (@tran_adarsh) 25 December 2024
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baby john review
ABP Live review of the film is as follows: Comparisons to the original were inevitable. The filmmakers claimed it was an adaptation, not a remake, but many scenes are frame-by-frame copies. The action feels old-fashioned, and at a time when action films have evolved, ‘Baby John’ has lagged behind. Recently, Malayalam cinema’s ‘Marco’ has raised the level of violence and action choreography. In contrast, the action sequences in ‘Baby John’, especially the ones starring Salman Khan and Varun Dhawan, look artificial. Vijay had a great presence in ‘Theri’, but Varun Dhawan doesn’t match him. Every scene reminds you of the original, and even if you haven’t seen ‘Theri’, this film doesn’t lose your attention. Some scenes look childish and even ridiculous. Poorly placed, disturbing songs further test the audience’s patience. Ultimately, you feel like watching the original again rather than sitting through this version.
Produced by Atlee, his wife Priya, Murad Khetani and Jyoti Deshpande, ‘Baby John’ is a remake of the 2016 Tamil action thriller ‘Theri’. Varun Dhawan is in a completely new avatar in the film. Along with Varun, the cast includes Keerthy Suresh, Wamiqa Gabbi and Jackie Shroff in lead roles.
