Mufasa: The Lion King outsines Varun Dhawan’s Baby John

Varun Dhawan’s latest action-thriller, Baby John, has failed to captivate audiences despite its release during the festive season. The film, which hit cinemas on Christmas, opened with a respectable Rs 11.25 crore. However, the initial buzz quickly dissipated, leading to a steady decline in box office collections. By the New Year holiday, traditionally a strong period for the film industry, Baby John managed to earn only Rs 2.75 crore on Wednesday, indicating its waning appeal.

According to industry tracker Sacnilk, Baby John had a total Hindi occupancy of just 22.38%, with the highest footfall recorded during afternoon shows. After eight days in theatres, the film’s total box office collection in India stands at Rs 35.40 crore, a figure that underscores its disappointing performance.

Baby John’s struggles are further exacerbated by the success of competing releases. Allu Arjun and Rashmika Mandanna’s Pushpa 2 continues to dominate the box office, even after 28 days in theatres. On Wednesday alone, the Sukumar-directed action blockbuster earned Rs 13.15 crore, with Rs 9.5 crore coming from its Hindi version. The film’s staggering total nett collection in India now stands at an impressive Rs 1184.65 crore, solidifying its status as a major commercial triumph.

Meanwhile, Disney’s family entertainer Mufasa: The Lion King has also outperformed Baby John. The animated film collected Rs 9.4 crore on Wednesday, including Rs 3.5 crore from the Hindi-speaking market. After 13 days of release, Mufasa: The Lion King boasts a total nett collection of Rs 122.1 crore in India, demonstrating its strong appeal among audiences across age groups.

Produced by Atlee, Baby John is already fading from theatres and is expected to conclude its theatrical run soon. The film’s lackluster performance makes it likely to become the lowest-grossing entry in Varun Dhawan’s filmography. Critics and industry experts have pointed to weak storytelling and limited novelty in the action sequences as potential reasons for the film’s failure to resonate with viewers.