How Varun Dhawan’s ‘Baby John’ Became 2024’s Biggest Box Office Disaster -

“Varun Dhawan’s Baby John has struggled at the box office, with collections not crossing ₹50 crore even after a week in theatres, signaling trouble for the film.”

Kalees’ Baby John was an ambitious project for Varun Dhawan, marking his bold foray into the mass action genre. The actor saw it as a pivotal opportunity to elevate his career and cement himself as a top-tier A-lister in Bollywood. Given the recent success of mass action films across the industry, from Shah Rukh Khan to Manoj Bajpayee, expectations were high for Baby John to make a similar impact.

However, despite its large-scale vision, the film did not resonate with audiences. It failed to impress critics and did not manage to connect with the fans it was targeting. The action-packed narrative and mass appeal struggled to find its footing, and the movie ended up falling flat at the box office.

Even after a week in theatres, the film’s box office collections remained sluggish, with its earnings not crossing ₹50 crore. The result was a significant disappointment for both the actor and the filmmakers, turning what was meant to be a career-defining move into a massive box office failure. The lack of growth in collections and failure to generate audience interest turned Baby John into one of 2024’s most notable disasters in the mass entertainer category.

Baby John, a remake (or as the makers prefer to call it, an “adaptation”) of Atlee’s Theri, started off with great expectations but quickly spiraled into disappointment. While the film faithfully mirrors much of Theri in certain scenes, in other aspects, it attempts to forge its own path—and it’s where it falters. Fans of the original may have been excited, but those hoping for a fresh take were left wanting more.

The marketing and promotions of Baby John also failed to build the necessary buzz. As a result, the film had a lackluster opening with just ₹12 crore, which is far below expectations for a mass entertainer of this scale. Negative reviews quickly led to a wave of bad word-of-mouth, causing the film’s momentum to slow down dramatically.

By day eight, Baby John had earned a meager ₹35 crore in India and ₹47 crore worldwide—disastrous numbers, especially considering its reported ₹160 crore budget. The extent of the film’s downfall can be seen in the sharp drop in screen count: it opened in 4,300 shows nationwide, which has since plummeted to just 1,800 shows after eight days. These figures paint a clear picture of a movie that failed to capture the audience’s attention and is quickly being forgotten.

Trade insiders predict that Baby John will likely finish with a net collection below ₹60 crore, which would translate to a significant loss for the makers—estimated at around ₹100 crore. While the final verdict on its box office performance is still pending, the early signs are grim. Many trade pundits have already labeled it a disaster, considering the massive gap between its ₹160 crore budget and the dismal returns it has garnered so far. The film’s underperformance, coupled with its rapid decline in screenings, marks a stark contrast to its initial expectations.

On paper, Baby John had all the ingredients for success—an action-packed, mass-appeal genre, a popular star like Varun Dhawan, Atlee’s backing, and a proven plot (as seen in the success of Theri). However, in execution, the film failed to live up to expectations. The theory behind the formula didn’t translate into a successful reality. Instead of a thrilling remake, Baby John felt more like a spoof, with Varun Dhawan’s performance lacking the commanding screen presence needed to carry a mass action film.

While Varun is known for his charm as a likeable and sometimes goofy hero, he couldn’t quite make the leap into the intense world of mass action, where a more dominant, larger-than-life persona is required. The film’s stale treatment of the plot only added to the disappointment, with director Kalees struggling to match Atlee’s finesse in taking a familiar story and presenting it with a fresh appeal.

The much-hyped Salman Khan cameo, which had sparked some excitement, ultimately fell flat. Instead of delivering an awe-inspiring moment, it ended up being more groan-inducing, adding to the film’s overall misfire. With all these factors combined, Baby John turned out to be a missed opportunity, leaving audiences and critics alike underwhelmed.

Audiences have made it clear that they are eager to watch more massy films that follow a proven formula, but only if the presentation is executed well. Films like Jawan, Pathaan, and Gadar 2 demonstrated that while the mass action formula can work, it requires a neat and compelling delivery to truly captivate audiences. On the flip side, movies like Tiger 3 and Bhaiyaa Ji fell short of expectations, and Baby John crashed the hardest.

The failure of Baby John may serve as a wake-up call for Bollywood makers, urging them to rethink their approach. It shows that simply relying on a formula won’t guarantee success if the rest of the film is hollow—be it in terms of storytelling, performances, or execution. If Bollywood is to continue delivering hits in this genre, filmmakers need to realize that mass appeal alone isn’t enough; a cohesive and engaging presentation is what will truly make a film soar.