Box Office Verdict: Below Expectations

Baby John, the Kalees-directed action thriller starring Varun Dhawan, has collected ₹37.72 crore domestically (net), ranking #331 in Filmymojo’s 2024 box office charts. The film failed to revive Varun’s commercial appeal after recent underperformers.

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Box Office Breakdown

Key Stats

Metric	Value
Total Collection	₹37.72 crore
Current Rank	#331 (All Time)
Genre	Action-Thriller
Release Date	December 25, 2024
Director	Kalees
Lead Cast	Varun Dhawan, Keerthy Suresh, Wamiqa Gabbi

Genre Comparison

• Average Action-Thriller Collection (2024): ₹85.4 crore
• Baby John vs. Genre Avg: 56% below benchmark
• Top 2024 Action Films:
  1. Fighter (₹215.2 crore)
  2. Singham Again (₹269.48 crore)
  3. Baby John (₹37.72 crore)

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Varun Dhawan’s Career Slump Continues

Baby John extends Varun’s box office struggles:

Movie	Collection (₹ Cr)	Year	Verdict
Bhediya	66.8	2022	Semi-Hit
Baby John	37.72	2024	Below Par
JugJugg Jeeyo	85.1	2022	Hit

Alarming Trend: Lowest opening for a Varun Dhawan-led film since 2014.

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Budget & Recovery

The film’s economics reveal its underperformance:

Metric	Value
Production Budget	₹65 crore
P&A Spend	₹25 crore
ROI	0.58x
Losses	₹50+ crore

Industry Context: Needed ₹140 crore to break even.

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Weekly Performance

Steep declines post-opening:

Week	Collection (₹ Cr)	Drop
1	₹22.4	–
2	₹9.8	56%↓
3	₹3.5	64%↓
4	₹1.02	71%↓

Critical Issues:

• 56% second-week drop worse than action film average (~45%)
• Per-screen average never crossed ₹18,000

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What Went Wrong?

Identity Crisis: Neither mass nor class appeal

Weak Music: No chartbuster songs to drive youth interest

Marketing Gaps: Failed to highlight USP effectively

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Audience Reception

• IMDb Rating: 5.6/10 (Mixed reviews)
• CinemaScore: B- (Below average)
• Social Media Buzz:
  • #BabyJohn trended for just 3 days
  • 52% lower engagement than Varun’s previous films

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Final Verdict

With ₹37.72 crore, Baby John continues Varun Dhawan’s career slump. The film proves that even proven stars need strong scripts and smart positioning to connect with today’s audiences.

Watch Recommendation: Only for die-hard Varun fans; others can wait for OTT.

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Data Source: Filmymojo Box Office Database