Baby John, featuring Varun Dhawan and Keerthy Suresh, is now the biggest letdown of Bollywood in 2024. Despite an investment of ₹160 crores and robust marketing, this film had only managed to earn back 24.55% of the investment by collecting about ₹39.28 crores within 16 days. Here are the factors that led to the failure of Baby John.
Remake Boredom
Baby John is an official Hindi adaptation of the 2016 Tamil film Theri, which was an outing for Thalapathy Vijay. The original had mostly been based on Vijay’s star power. People have become tired of remakes as the original was still fresh in public memory. This was witnessed in the performance of many recent remakes such as Vikram Vedha.
Also read: Baby John Movie Review: Action, Emotion, and Varun Dhawan’s Power-Packed Punch
Casting Choices
A few audience members felt that Varun Dhawan was miscast in the movie. Critics opined that although Dhawan is physically fit for a mass hero, the delivery of his dialogue needed that mass gravitas for that kind of character. This mismatch could have affected the movie from reaching out to its intended group.
Technical Shortcomings
Critics noted that Baby John suffered from technical issues, including subpar sound design and editing. The film was described as “a creaky, scrappy and hopelessly disjointed movie,” with scenes that lacked cohesion and rhythm. Such flaws detracted from the overall viewing experience, diminishing audience engagement.
Stiff Competition
The film’s release coincided with several high-profile movies, including Pushpa 2, Mufasa: The Lion King, Game Changer, and Fateh. This crowded release schedule fragmented the audience’s attention and limited Baby John’s box office potential. In many cities, the film was quickly pulled from theaters due to low attendance, further impacting its revenue.
Audience Expectations and Reception
Despite aggressive promotions, Baby John failed to resonate with audiences. The film’s narrative was criticized for lacking novelty and depth, leading to poor word-of-mouth. Additionally, comparisons with the original Theri highlighted unfavorable differences, with some viewers expressing disappointment in the adaptation’s execution.
Verdict
The failure of Baby John can be attributed to a combination of remake fatigue, casting missteps, technical deficiencies, intense competition, and unmet audience expectations. This outcome underscores the challenges Bollywood faces in remaking regional hits without offering fresh perspectives or adequately addressing the evolving preferences of its audience.
