‘Baby John’ faces setback; after Rs 1000 Cr, Atlee struggling for Rs 50 Cr

The film industry is known for its unpredictable nature, where success and failure can change in the blink of an eye. This was recently evident in the career trajectory of filmmaker Atlee, whose fortunes took a sharp turn after the massive success of his Bollywood debut Jawan.

Atlee's entry into Bollywood was marked by the spectacular success of Jawan, which starred Shah Rukh Khan and went on to gross over ₹1,000 crore at the box office. The film was a massive hit, not just for its stellar performances but also for Atlee’s innovative direction, which showcased SRK in a way his fans had longed for. This catapulted Atlee into the spotlight as one of the most promising commercial filmmakers in Bollywood.

Building on his newfound success, Atlee quickly announced his next project, Baby John, starring Varun Dhawan. The film, which released on December 25, 2024, is a remake of Atlee’s own Theri (2016), which was a major hit in Tamil cinema, starring Vijay. Atlee was heavily involved in both the production and creative process, even promising during the promotions that Baby John would turn Varun Dhawan into the next Bollywood superstar, much like Animal did for Ranbir Kapoor.

However, Baby John has not lived up to these expectations. Despite the massive buzz and Atlee's association with Jawan, the film's box office performance has been underwhelming. As of now, Baby John has grossed just ₹27 crore, with projections suggesting it may end up in the ₹50 crore range by the end of its run. For a film with such high stakes, this is a disappointing outcome.

While the film received a lukewarm reception early on, audiences have not flocked to theaters in significant numbers, and the Jawan branding seems to have had little impact. What was expected to be a major hit has now become a potential disaster for both Atlee and Varun Dhawan.

Atlee, who once delivered a ₹1,000 crore blockbuster with Jawan, now finds himself associated with a film that may struggle to even reach ₹50 crore. The unpredictable nature of the industry has been starkly evident in this case, showing how quickly fortunes can shift in the world of cinema.