Well, if you were hoping for a high-octane action thriller from Varun Dhawan in Baby John, you’re in for a rude awakening. The trailer dropped like a damp firecracker – no boom, no sizzle, just a lot of whoosh. What was supposed to be an action-packed remake of Vijay’s Theri has ended up feeling like a bad high-school drama where the lead is pretending to be tough. Spoiler: It’s not working.
Let’s get one thing straight – Varun Dhawan is a fantastic actor in the right role. But when it comes to action, he’s... well, let’s just say he’s more "slapstick hero" than "macho Avenger". The trailer shows him pulling off slow-motion stunts like he's auditioning for the role of "the world's least intimidating action hero." Seriously, Varun in these fight sequences looks like someone’s little brother who borrowed his older sibling’s jacket and tried to act cool. There’s no physicality, no sense of fearlessness, just a lot of awkward punching and running – and don’t get me started on the dialogue delivery, which is about as inspiring as a soggy towel.
In Theri, Vijay balanced his dual role of an honest cop and a loving father with raw intensity. His character was a force to be reckoned with, both in terms of action and emotion. But Varun’s portrayal? It’s like he’s been told to "act tough" but was never handed the manual on how to look the part. His character doesn’t seem like a fearless father who’d take down anyone to protect his daughter – he looks more like a kid who just discovered his first stunt double. Spoiler alert: There’s nothing in his performance that suggests he can take on a room full of bad guys – it’s more like he’s struggling to carry the weight of this film.
The film also features Keerthy Suresh, making her Hindi debut, and while she’s an accomplished actress, it’s hard to see her rescuing this sinking ship. Let’s not even talk about the epic cast of Wamiqa Gabbi, Zara Zyanna, and Jackie Shroff, who all seem to be in some other movie altogether, as Varun drags this one into the gutter.
And let’s talk about the production – Jio Studios, Cine1 Studios, and A for Apple Productions — you really had one job. You had one job, and that was to make this look like a blockbuster. What we got instead feels like the leftovers of a Bollywood action flick from 2005, wrapped in a very shiny, very empty package.
But hey, don’t take our word for it – Varun’s been struggling to win audiences over post-RRR, with Jug Jugg Jeeyo and Bhediya being lukewarm at best, and the less said about Bawaal, the better. So here he is, trying his hand at a gritty, action-packed role in a film that can’t even get the trailer right.
Final Verdict: Baby John feels like a misfire that’s already been shot down before it even hits the theaters. With zero buzz, a weak trailer, and a leading man who seems as out of place in action as a giraffe in a phone booth, this film is headed for one direction – straight to the box office gutter. If the makers don’t step up their promotion game, this one’s going to sink faster than Varun’s action stunts.
Moral of the story? Stop trying to be someone you're not, Varun – or at least put in the work before you start throwing punches.