Varun Dhawan Depressed After Baby John Failure? Rajpal Yadav Reveals

In a recent interview with Bollywood Bubble,Rajpal Yadav revealed that Baby John might have fared better at the box office if it had not been a remake of the Tamil film Theri. “If this wasn’t a remake, it would have been the best film of my 25-year career,” he stated. He further explained that because the audience had already seen Theri, a film starring Tamil superstar Vijay before, the remake's appeal was significantly reduced. This, according to Yadav, contributed to Baby John’s failure to attract viewers.

When asked about Varun Dhawan’s emotional state following the film's poor reception, Yadav spoke highly of his co-star. “Varun is such a sweet boy, very hardworking. He’s always trying to do something different, and I truly admire his efforts,” said Yadav. He went on to say that despite the film’s underperformance, Varun's dedication to his craft and willingness to take risks should be appreciated. “It’s a big deal to take risks in the film industry,” he added.

Released on December 25, 2024, Baby John also starred Keerthy Suresh, Wamiqa Gabbi, and Jackie Shroff in pivotal roles. The story revolves around Inspector Satya Verma (Varun Dhawan), also known as Baby John, whose peaceful life with his daughter is disrupted by a battle with a dangerous criminal, Babar Sher (Jackie Shroff). The film explores themes of vengeance and women’s exploitation, but it failed to impress audiences and critics alike. Many criticized its writing and direction, describing the plot as predictable and stretched, particularly the sluggish first half.

Despite a hefty production budget of Rs 180 crore, Baby John earned less than Rs 50 crore at the box office.