Box Office Clash: Varun Dhawan’s Baby John Struggles Against Rivals

Varun Dhawan’s Baby John experienced a moderate opening at the box office, even with the advantage of a Christmas holiday release. Directed by Kalees, the film’s initial earnings were overshadowed by the sustained popularity of Allu Arjun’s Pushpa 2 and competition from Disney’s Mufasa: The Lion King.

Opening Day Earnings and Competition

Adapted from Atlee’s 2016 Tamil hit Theri, Baby John managed to collect ₹12.50 crore on its first day, as reported by industry tracker Sacnilk. Besides battling with Pushpa 2, the film faced unexpected rivalry from Kiccha Sudeep’s Kannada thriller Max, which garnered approximately ₹10 crore on its debut and forecasts a promising extended weekend.

Critics’ Take and Audience Response

Varun Dhawan’s Performance Shines Amidst Mixed Reviews: The film received a mix of opinions. While Dhawan’s portrayal of the action-centric character has been acclaimed, critics noted the remake’s struggle to capture the emotional essence of its Tamil predecessor.

Best Opening in Five Years: Despite the challenges, Baby John marked Dhawan’s “best-ever opening” in the past half-decade, surpassing Bhediya (₹7.48 crore) and Jugjugg Jeeyo (₹9.28 crore).

Box Office and Audience Interaction

On its premiere day, Baby John reported a 24.97% overall Hindi occupancy, with evening shows peaking at 30.89%. Major cities like Chennai, Bengaluru, and Lucknow recorded the highest audience turnout.

Plot Synopsis

The narrative of Baby John centers on DCP Satya Verma (portrayed by Varun Dhawan), who adopts the alias “Baby John” to safeguard his daughter, Khushi. This transformation follows a tragic conflict with a politician named Babbar Sher that leads to the loss of both his wife and mother.