‘Baby John’ Struggles at the Box Office: A Setback for Varun Dhawan’s Mass Action Aspirations

Varun Dhawan’s latest release, Baby John, has fallen short of expectations, with its box office collections failing to cross ₹50 crore even after a week in theatres. Directed by Kalees, the mass action entertainer was positioned as a turning point in Dhawan’s career, aiming to establish him as a formidable name in the action genre. However, the film’s lackluster performance suggests otherwise.

Despite being marketed as an ambitious project, Baby John failed to resonate with both critics and audiences. The film, described as an adaptation of Atlee’s successful Tamil film Theri, suffered from inconsistent execution. In parts, it mirrored the original scene-for-scene, while in others, it deviated in ways that left viewers unimpressed. Critics noted that the effort to innovate within the plot often worked to its detriment.

Promotions for the film were minimal, leading to a subdued buzz and an underwhelming opening day collection of ₹12 crore—an underperformance for a movie in the mass entertainer genre. Poor reviews further fueled negative word of mouth, resulting in a sharp decline in box office numbers. As of its eighth day, the film has earned ₹35 crore in India and ₹47 crore globally, far below its reported ₹160 crore production budget.

Trade experts anticipate the film’s lifetime collections will remain under ₹60 crore, leading to potential losses of over ₹100 crore. This drastic underperformance has also resulted in a significant reduction in showings across theaters, dropping from 4,300 screens at release to just 1,800 by the second week.

“On the surface, Baby John had everything in its favor—the massy genre, a popular star, Atlee backing it, and a solid plot (evident from Theri's success). But the formula was all theory. In practicality, Baby John has nothing going for it,” noted one trade analyst.

Varun Dhawan, despite his proven talent in lighter roles, struggled to bring the gravitas needed for a mass action hero. Critics also highlighted the lack of polish in Kalees’ direction, with the film feeling more like a parody than a serious remake. “The Salman Khan cameo was more groan-inducing than awe-inspiring,” remarked a reviewer, summing up the audience’s sentiment.

The failure of Baby John follows a string of successful mass entertainers like Jawan, Pathaan, and Gadar 2, which demonstrated that audiences are receptive to the genre when executed with precision and innovation. Conversely, recent misfires like Tiger 3 and Bhaiyaa Ji, alongside Baby John, underline the need for a stronger foundation beyond formulaic storytelling.

As Bollywood reflects on the film’s underwhelming performance, industry insiders hope this serves as a reminder that the formula for success in mass cinema requires more than just a recognizable blueprint—it demands compelling execution, impactful performances, and genuine audience engagement.