Varun Dhawan’s latest film Baby John, an ambitious adaptation of Tamil superstar Thalapathy Vijay’s iconic 2016 hit Theri, has turned into a box office disappointment, leaving fans and critics disheartened. The film, helmed by Kalees and produced by Atlee, was touted as a career-defining project for Dhawan, but early box office numbers suggest otherwise.
With the massive shoes of Thalapathy Vijay to fill, Dhawan faced immense pressure even before the release. The original Theri remains one of Vijay’s most celebrated films, raising the bar for anyone attempting to recreate its magic. However, the struggles of Baby John were compounded by Atlee’s towering claims during the film’s promotions, which have now returned to haunt the project.
View this post on Instagram
At a pre-release press event, Atlee confidently declared Dhawan as Bollywood’s “next superstar,” positioning Baby John as the vehicle to cement this status. However, the term “superstar” in Bollywood is reserved for the likes of Amitabh Bachchan, Shah Rukh Khan, and Salman Khan—icons with decades of unparalleled success. Atlee even drew direct comparisons to Ranbir Kapoor, stating that Baby John would replicate the success of Animal and reignite Dhawan’s box office dominance.
These bold statements have aged poorly as the film struggles to meet even modest expectations. Social media has been unforgiving, with comments mocking Atlee’s audacious claims. Critics have noted that Baby John lacks the emotional depth and gripping storytelling that made Animal a blockbuster.
One online user quipped, “Ye toh what Animal did to Bobby Deol bhi nahi kar paaya,” referencing how Baby John failed to uplift Dhawan’s career. Others highlighted how Kapoor’s success with Animal was built on years of critically acclaimed performances in films like Rockstar and Barfi, achievements Dhawan has yet to match.
View this post on Instagram
While Dhawan has largely been absolved of blame, with fans pointing fingers at Atlee’s missteps in hyping the project, the film’s performance leaves much to be desired. Mounted on a reported budget of ₹180 crores, Baby John has garnered a meager ₹16.5 crores worldwide in its first two days, including Christmas—a key holiday for Bollywood releases. Even a cameo by Salman Khan, usually a surefire crowd-puller, hasn’t been enough to salvage the film’s fortunes.
The lackluster marketing campaign also came under scrutiny, with fans drawing parallels to other underperforming projects. “Atlee jinxed the film by saying this sentence. The marketing wasn’t right… It didn’t create any hype at all,” observed one user.
Despite starring a strong cast that includes Keerthy Suresh, Wamiqa Gabbi, and Jackie Shroff, Baby John has failed to captivate audiences. The film remains in theaters, but its prospects for recovering its hefty budget appear grim.
