Baby John Box Office Struggle: Day 9 Collections Fall to Rs. 1 Crore
Varun Dhawan’s movie ‘Baby John’ has seen a sharp drop at the box office, making only Rs. 1 crore on its ninth day. Competition from Pushpa 2 and Mufasa: The Lion King intensifies.
Baby John Faces Tough Competition as Box Office Collections Plummet
Varun Dhawan’s action-packed drama, Baby John, is witnessing a challenging run at the box office. Released on over 3,500 screens, the film’s initial momentum has faltered dramatically since its second day, leading to reduced shows and dwindling collections. By Day 9, Baby John has been replaced by blockbuster hits like Allu Arjun’s Pushpa 2: The Rule, Unni Mukundan’s Marco, and Disney’s Mufasa: The Lion King in several theaters.
Dismal Box Office Numbers
According to industry tracker Sacnilk, Baby John managed to collect only Rs. 1 crore on its ninth day, bringing its total domestic nett earnings to Rs. 36.40 crores. Falling short of the Rs. 40 crore milestone by its second Thursday, the movie’s performance has raised concerns about its sustainability.
Shrinking Screen Presence
The film’s underperformance has caused a substantial reduction in screen count and showtimes. Single-screen theaters have begun dropping Baby John due to poor occupancy rates. On Day 1, Mumbai had 801 shows with a 26.25% occupancy rate, while Delhi-NCR boasted 1,046 shows at 25.75%. By Day 9, these numbers fell sharply—Mumbai hosted only 278 shows with 12.33% occupancy, and Delhi-NCR had 398 shows with a mere 9.67% occupancy.
Such figures starkly illustrate the audience’s waning interest, with Baby John struggling to maintain its foothold against more successful competitors.
Competing Giants: Pushpa 2 and Mufasa
In stark contrast, Allu Arjun’s Pushpa 2 continues to dominate, poised to surpass Rs. 1,800 crore in worldwide earnings, making it one of India’s highest-grossing films. Meanwhile, Mufasa: The Lion King has maintained strong traction, accumulating Rs. 122.1 crore so far, outperforming Baby John by a significant margin.
Plot and Reception
Baby John narrates the gripping story of DCP Satya Verma IPS (played by Varun Dhawan), who faces the wrath of Babbar Sher (Jackie Shroff) after avenging a heinous crime. As Satya’s life takes a tragic turn, he goes into hiding to protect his daughter. The film also stars Keerthy Suresh and Wamiqa Gabbi in pivotal roles.
Despite its action-packed premise, the film has struggled to resonate with audiences. Critics have been particularly harsh, with Shubhra Gupta of The Indian Express rating it one star, calling it “one of the worst films of 2024.” As a remake of Vijay’s 2016 hit Theri, critics have panned its lack of originality and engaging storytelling.
Takeaway
The lukewarm reception of Baby John serves as a stark reminder of the competitive dynamics of the box office. With cinematic heavyweights like Pushpa 2 and Mufasa setting benchmarks, films need to deliver not just star power but compelling narratives to captivate audiences. For Baby John, the road ahead looks steep unless there’s a dramatic turnaround in audience interest.
(Disclaimer: This article is based on publicly available information and industry reports. Box office figures are estimates and may vary.)