“Baby John,” starring Varun Dhawan and Keerthy Suresh, released on December 25, 2024, has made a notable impact at the box office on its first day. The film, directed by Kalees and produced by Atlee, is a Hindi-language action thriller and a remake of the 2016 Tamil film “Theri.”
On its opening day, “Baby John” garnered an estimated ₹13 crore in box office collections. This performance is considered decent, especially given the competition from other major releases during the holiday season.
City-Wise Occupancy Details:
Here’s a breakdown of the first-day occupancy percentages across various regions:
| Region | Morning | Afternoon | Evening | Night |
| Mumbai | 18% | 30% | 30% | 27% |
| NCR | 12% | 32% | 36% | 23% |
| Hyderabad | 11% | 29% | 33% | 35% |
| Pune | 15% | 29% | 30% | 27% |
| Bengaluru | 18% | 46% | 45% | 43% |
| Kolkata | 13% | 38% | 65% | 29% |
| Ahmedabad | 9% | 15% | 13% | 19% |
| Surat | 8% | 12% | 11% | 21% |
| Chennai | 37% | 57% | 63% | 51% |
| Jaipur | 23% | 25% | 21% | 19% |
| Bhopal | 9% | 20% | 24% | 20% |
| Chandigarh | 5% | 23% | 23% | 17% |
| Lucknow | 21% | 45% | 47% | 34% |
These occupancy rates reflect the film’s widespread appeal across major urban centers, with southern cities like Hyderabad and Chennai showing particularly strong attendance.
Advance Booking Insights:
Prior to its release, “Baby John” had a promising advance booking trend. The film targeted the sale of over 75,000 tickets in top national chains, aiming for a ₹15 crore opening day. While the actual first-day collection was slightly below this target, the advance bookings contributed significantly to the film’s initial success.
Critical Reception:
“Baby John” received mixed to positive reviews from critics. Bollywood Hungama rated it 3.5 out of 5 stars, describing it as a mass entertainer with commendable performances and engaging moments. News18 also awarded it 3 out of 5 stars, praising Varun Dhawan’s portrayal of DCP Satya Verma and Keerthy Suresh’s performance, though noting some predictability in the plot.
“Baby John” has made a solid start at the box office, with strong occupancy rates and a commendable first-day collection. The film’s performance in the coming days will be crucial in determining its overall success, especially considering the competitive holiday season and the presence of other major releases.
