Varun Dhawan’s latest action thriller, Baby John, released on December 25, 2024, is facing significant challenges at the box office. As of January 3, 2025, the film has managed to earn only ₹36.40 crore in total, following a disappointing collection of just ₹1 crore on its ninth day of release.
Declining Box Office Performance
Despite an initial rollout across over 3,500 screens, Baby John has seen a drastic decline in its box office performance. After a promising opening day where it collected ₹11.25 crore, the film’s earnings began to dwindle rapidly. The first week concluded with a total of approximately ₹32.65 crore, but the second week has proven even more challenging.
Reports indicate that Baby John has been replaced in many theaters by other films such as Allu Arjun’s Pushpa 2: The Rule, Unni Mukundan’s Marco, and the Hollywood release Mufasa: The Lion King. This shift reflects a growing disinterest among audiences, as many single-screen theaters have dropped the film due to low attendance.
Day-wise Box Office Collection
Here is the day-wise box office collection for Baby John:
| Day | India Net Collection | Change (+/-) |
|---|---|---|
| Day 1 [Dec 25] | ₹ 11.25 Cr | – |
| Day 2 [Dec 26] | ₹ 4.75 Cr | -57.78% |
| Day 3 [Dec 27] | ₹ 3.65 Cr | -23.16% |
| Day 4 [Dec 28] | ₹ 4.25 Cr | +16.44% |
| Day 5 [Dec 29] | ₹ 4.75 Cr | +11.76% |
| Day 6 [Dec 30] | ₹ 1.85 Cr | -61.05% |
| Day 7 [Dec 31] | ₹ 2.15 Cr | +16.22% |
| Day 8 [Jan 1] | ₹ 2.75 Cr | +27.91% |
| Day 9 [Jan 2] | ₹ 1.00 Cr | -63.64% |
| Day 10 [Jan 3] | ₹ 0.50 Cr (estimated) | -50.00% |
| Total | ₹ 36.90 Cr | – |
Screen Reductions and Occupancy Rates
The significant drop in box office collections has led to a reduction in the number of shows being screened. For instance, in Mumbai, the number of shows plummeted from 801 on opening day to just 278 by day nine, with occupancy rates dropping from 26.25% to a mere 12.33%. Similarly, in Delhi and NCR, shows have decreased from 1,046 to 398, with occupancy rates falling from 25.75% to only 9.67%.
This stark contrast highlights the film’s struggle to maintain audience interest and emphasizes the competitive landscape of current box office offerings.
Comparison with Competing Films
In contrast to Baby John’s struggles, Pushpa 2 continues to perform exceptionally well at the box office, with its worldwide collection expected to surpass ₹1,800 crore soon, making it one of the highest-grossing Indian films. Meanwhile, Mufasa: The Lion King has also outperformed Baby John with a total collection of ₹122.1 crore.
Cast Overview
The film features an ensemble cast including:
- Varun Dhawan as DCP Satya Verma / John Desvilla
- Keerthy Suresh as Dr. Meera Verma (Satya’s wife)
- Wamiqa Gabbi as Tara / Adhira Verman IPS (Khushi’s teacher)
- Jackie Shroff as Babbar Sher / Nanaji
- Rajpal Yadav as Head Constable Ram Sevak / Jackie
- Zara Zyanna as Khushi Verma (Satya and Meera’s daughter)
- Sheeba Chaddha as Madhvi Verma (Satya’s mother)
- Special appearances by Salman Khan as Agent Bhaijaan and Diljit Dosanjh in a song.
Critical Reception and Ratings
Baby John has received predominantly negative reviews from critics, who have criticized its clichéd plot and lack of depth:
- IMDb Rating: ★★★★☆ (7/10 based on approximately 14K ratings)
- The Indian Express rated it ★☆☆☆☆ (1 star), calling it “one of the worst films of 2024.”
Critics have pointed out that despite being a remake of Vijay’s successful Theri, Baby John fails to capture the essence that made its predecessor popular.
Conclusion
With its box office performance faltering and competition heating up from other releases, Baby John is facing an uphill battle to recoup its production costs estimated at around ₹160 crores. Industry insiders predict that even with steady collections in the coming days, it may struggle to reach ₹50 crore net throughout its theatrical run.
As audiences continue to seek out engaging content in theaters, Baby John’s lackluster performance serves as a reminder of the importance of quality storytelling and execution in cinema.
Disclaimer: The information provided is based on available reports and may be subject to change as new developments occur regarding Baby John’s box office performance.
