Hi movie friends, Christmas season has arrived, and the rush in theaters has begun! This time Bollywood star Varun Dhawan has come to us with a full-action thriller called Baby John. Released on December 25, 2024 on the occasion of Christmas, this film is a remake of the Tamil blockbuster Theri. Directed by Kalis, produced by Jio Studios and Atlee, this film is making a splash in Hyderabad, Vijayawada, and Vizag theaters with Telugu dubbing. However, what kind of buzz did this film create at the box office? How did Telugu fans receive it? Let's take a quick ride and find out!
Release buzz: Christmas hype!
Baby John had a worldwide grand release on December 25, 2024, cashing in on the Christmas holiday vibe in full. The Telugu dubbed version opened to housefuls in theatres like GVK One, Prasads, AMB Cinemas in Hyderabad, PVR in Vijayawada, and INOX in Vizag. The film collected ₹12.5 crore on its opening day in India, but could not beat the opening (₹13.1 crore). Although it started with a net collection of ₹27 crore in 5 days in the first weekend, the collections dropped from the second day, with Sunday occupancy registering less than 15%.
When the film's trailer was released in November 2024, Varun Dhawan's action avatar and Thaman's background score impressed fans. Songs like "Pickly Palm", "Bandobast", "Hazar Baar", and "Beast Mode" trended on YouTube, and the album released by Zee Music on January 14, 2025, was a hit. However, the film received mixed reviews after its release, with many comparing it to Theri and calling it a “copy-paste”.
Story, Cast: Theri vibe with a Telugu touch!
In Baby John’s story, Varun Dhawan plays DCP Satya Varma (John de Silva), who fakes his death to save his daughter Khushi (Zara Zyana) and lives as a bakery owner in Alappuzha, Kerala. Khushi becomes close to her teacher Tara (Wamika Gabbi), and an incident with a sex-trafficking gang reveals his true past. Jackie Shroff plays the villainous role of Nanaji, while Keerthy Suresh plays Satya’s wife Meera. Rajpal Yadav, Salman Khan (cameo), and Sanya Malhotra (cameo) are in supporting roles.
The remake of the movie Theri (2016) has drawn comparisons with the original starring Vijay and Samantha for Telugu fans. Theri was a hit with its emotional depth, Atlee's direction, and GV Prakash's score, but reviews say that Baby John lacks that emotional punch. Varun Dhawan's action and fatherly role impressed in one or two scenes, but Jackie Shroff couldn't give that intensity as a villain, comments say. Wamiqa Gabbi and Rajpal Yadav added a little depth to their characters compared to the original, and Keerthy Suresh looked good in a small role.
Conclusion: Is Theri okay for fans, or for new viewers?
Although Baby John started with a good hype with its Christmas release, the remake of Theri could not reach the magic of the original. Varun Dhawan's action, Thaman's BGM, and Keerthy Suresh's small role connected well with Telugu fans, but the lack of freshness in the story and the lack of emotional depth let the film down. The Telugu dubbed version played well in IMAX and 3D screens in Hyderabad, but remained a box office disaster. For those who haven't seen the film, this film will work as a one-time action entertainer, but it will be a bit of a disappointment for the fans of the film. It is streaming on Amazon Prime from February 19, eat some Pulihora and have fun!