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.
