On Christmas Day, Baby John fails to beat Allu Arjun’s Pushpa 2 at the box office

Christmas Day brought a mixed outcome for Bollywood at the box office, as Varun Dhawan’s highly anticipated film Baby John struggled to make a strong opening. Despite the festive release, the film managed to earn an estimated Rs 12.5 crore on its first day, according to a report from Sacnilk. This performance fell short of expectations, especially when compared to the ongoing dominance of Allu Arjun’s Pushpa 2: The Rule, which garnered an impressive Rs 19.75 crore on its 21st day in theatres.

Varun Dhawan’s return to the big screen in Baby John had been met with significant anticipation, particularly after his stint in the web series Citadel: Honey Bunny. Promoted as a high-octane action film, Baby John was projected to rake in around Rs 13 crore on its debut, but the final numbers came in below the mark. Early reviews for the film have been mixed, which may have contributed to its underwhelming start. Moreover, fierce competition from other Christmas releases played a key role in limiting its impact at the box office.

In particular, Pushpa 2, directed by Sukumar, has continued its incredible run, cementing its position as a cinematic juggernaut. Powered by Allu Arjun’s exceptional performance and its gripping storyline, the film has shown no signs of slowing down, even in its third week. This unwavering momentum has set Pushpa 2 on track to potentially become the highest-grossing film of all time, creating a tough challenge for any new release.

Adding to the competition, the Kannada action-thriller Max, starring Kichcha Sudeep, made an explosive debut with a Rs 10 crore collection on its first day, marking the highest opening for a Kannada film in 2024. The film has been buoyed by positive word of mouth and is expected to maintain strong collections over the extended holiday weekend. With Mufasa also performing well in theatres, the crowded Christmas lineup has undoubtedly taken a toll on Baby John’s box office numbers, making the road ahead challenging for Varun Dhawan’s latest venture.