Baby John OTT release X reviews: The Varun Dhawan starrer fails to impress viewers

Varun Dhawan and Keerthy Suresh’s action-packed film Baby John has officially begun streaming on Prime Video. Directed by Kalees, this Bollywood movie was released in theaters in December 2024 but failed to leave a strong impact at the box office. The film is a remake of Tamil superstar Vijay’s blockbuster Theri and was produced by renowned filmmaker Atlee and his wife, Priya Atlee.
Despite high expectations, Baby John struggled to win over audiences. The story follows an ex-police officer, played by Varun Dhawan, who is forced into hiding to protect his daughter from dangerous enemies. Alongside him, Jackie Shroff plays the role of the main villain, while Wamiqa Gabbi takes on a key supporting role. The film also features a special cameo by Salman Khan.
While Varun Dhawan expressed his excitement about working on the project, many viewers were not as enthusiastic about the final product. In a statement, Dhawan shared that Baby John was an important step in his career, pushing him beyond his comfort zone both physically and as an actor. He mentioned that he had always dreamed of leading a full-fledged action film and drew inspiration from some of the greatest action stars in Indian cinema.
However, the audience reactions were largely negative, with many comparing the film unfavorably to the original Tamil version.
"Baby John is just Bollywood’s way of copying a Vijay film. Everything is bad; no one can match Vijay in Bollywood."

"Why does Bollywood still make movies? Only the heroes are earning well, and no one else. Horrible state.
Atlee is still in shock after the Baby John debacle. Sad."

"If Atlee is making a loud bang with Jawan and Baby John, Roshan Andrews is doing it in a silent whisper with Dev. Looks like #SouthIndianCinema will save Bollywood eventually."

With such strong reactions, Baby John now has another opportunity to find its audience on Prime Video. While the theatrical release did not go as planned, fans who missed it on the big screen can now watch it and decide for themselves whether the film deserves a second chance.