A remake (or rather, an adaptation as the creators prefer to call it) of Atlee’s Theri, Baby John is, in certain aspects, a scene-for-scene reproduction of the original. In other aspects, it attempts to introduce new elements, which one might wish it had not done. The film’s marketing and promotional efforts were also muted, failing to generate the necessary excitement. Consequently, this led to a disappointing opening of merely ₹12 crore, which is significantly low for a mass entertainer. Negative reviews have resulted in unfavorable word of mouth, leading to a significant decline in the film’s performance. By the eighth day, Baby John has garnered only ₹35 crore in India and ₹47 crore globally. Considering the film was produced on a reported budget of ₹160 crore, these figures represent dismal returns. The extent of the decline for Baby John is evident from the fact that it initially premiered in 4300 screenings nationwide, which have now diminished to merely 1800 after eight days.

Trade insiders think the film will end up making less than ₹60 crore net, which means the makers are looking at losses of around ₹100 crore. While we’re still waiting for a final call on its box office performance, a lot of trade experts are already saying it’s a disaster.

Why did Baby John fail?

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). However, the formula was merely theoretical. In practice, Baby John has nothing going for it. It resembles a spoof more than a remake, with Varun lacking the screen presence to carry mass action. He is a commendable presence as the likable or even goofy hero. However, in mass action, he was found wanting. The stale treatment of the plot did not assist. Kalees lacks Atlee’s finesse in packaging the old and presenting it as fresh. Furthermore, the Salman Khan cameo was more groan-inducing than awe-inspiring.