Varun Dhawan’s latest film, Baby John, made its theatrical debut on Christmas, December 25, and has kicked off with a strong start at the box office. Directed by Kalees, the film raked in Rs 12.50 crore on its opening day, according to reports by Sacnilk, with a Hindi screening occupancy rate of 24.97 per cent.
Baby John has marked Varun Dhawan’s most successful opening in the last half-decade. His previous biggest first-day collection was in 2019 with Kalank, which earned Rs 21.60 crore upon release. In comparison, recent theatrical releases such as Street Dancer 3D (2020), Jug Jugg
Ahead of the film’s release, Varun Dhawan visited the Mahakaleshwar Temple in Ujjain with producer Atlee. Sharing a picture from the visit on Instagram, Varun wrote, “Blessed. Jai Mahakal,” as he was seen offering prayers.
An Action-Packed Remake
Produced by Atlee, Priya Atlee, Murad Khetani, and Jyoti Deshpande, Baby John is a remake of the 2016 Tamil action thriller Theri. The film features Varun in a bold new avatar, taking on action sequences of an unprecedented scale.
In an interview with News18, Varun revealed that he performed the majority of his stunts without relying on a body double. “The scale of action in this film is massive, and I’ve performed almost all the stunts myself,” he shared. One stunt involved him hanging upside down for over six hours, testing his endurance like never before.
Varun praised director Kalees for challenging him physically throughout the shoot. “Working with Kalees was demanding but rewarding—he pushed me to my limits every single day,” Varun said. At one point, producer Atlee had to intervene to remind the team to prioritize safety amidst their pursuit of perfection.
Competition with Pushpa 2
The film features an ensemble cast including Keerthy Suresh, Wamiqa Gabbi, and Jackie Shroff in pivotal roles. Despite its promising start, Baby John is facing stiff competition at the box office from Allu Arjun’s highly anticipated Pushpa 2.
With a promising opening and positive buzz surrounding Varun’s performance, Baby John is set to make its mark as one of the most ambitious films of his career.