On December 25, 2024, an action drama titled ‘Baby John’ was released, directed by Kalees, featuring Varun Dhawan as DCP Satya Verma, Keerthy Suresh as his wife Meera, and Wamiqa Gabbi as Tara, their daughter’s teacher.The film follows DCP Satya Verma, who, after killing the son of a powerful politician, Babbar Sher (Jackie Shroff), faces devastating retaliation that shatters his family. To protect his surviving daughter, Kushi, Satya fakes his death and adopts a new identity as Baby John, living a peaceful life in Kerala. However, when Babbar Sher discovers Satya’s survival, he disrupts their tranquility, prompting Satya to seek vengeance and safeguard his daughter.
Varun Dhawan delivers a great performance, balancing the dual roles of a caring father and a unfaltering cop with depth and conviction. Keerthy Suresh, in her Bollywood debut, plays Meera, Satya’s wife. Her performance, particularly in the song “Nain Matakka,” contributes to adding more emotional depth to the film. Wamiqa Gabbi plays the part of Tara, Kushi’s teacher; her character is instrumental in revealing Satya’s past.
Although some feel her character’s background as an undercover cop is barely scratched, she has been receiving some attention for her screen presence. Jackie Shroff’s portrayal of the antagonist, Babbar Sher, is impactful, with his menacing presence leaving a lasting impression. The film’s action sequences are a highlight, with well-choreographed stunts and sleek cinematography by Kiran Koushik adding flair to the visual experience. However, the narrative has been critiqued for its predictability and reliance on familiar tropes, such as the hero rising against crime and personal dispute.
The film is on the longer side, running for 164 minutes, with some critics suggesting that the tracks of John’s past and present-day struggles don’t always feel durable, affecting overall engagement. In terms of box office performance, “Baby John” has shown an encouraging average of pre-bookings of about 1.26 lakhs, earning more than 3.5 crore in earnings. The film is likely to earn about 15-20 crore in its first day from the Hindi belt and is pushed near 725 crores worldwide in future runs. For the movie to work commercially, it needs to garner 190-200 crores.
