Christmas Day brought mixed results for Bollywood, as Varun Dhawan’s highly anticipated film Baby John had a slow start at the box office. According to reports from Sacnilk, the movie earned around ₹12.5 crore on its opening day, falling short of expectations.

Tough Competition at the Box Office

Despite the holiday advantage, Baby John couldn’t match the earnings of Allu Arjun’s Pushpa 2: The Rule, which collected ₹19.75 crore on its 21st day. The strong performance of Pushpa 2, combined with the success of Mufasa, took a significant share of the audience away from Baby John.

Varun Dhawan’s action-packed film was predicted to earn ₹13 crore on its first day but fell short amid mixed reviews. The competition grew tougher with the release of other big films like Pushpa 2, Mufasa, and the Kannada action movie Max, starring Kichcha Sudeep.

Surprise Success for Kichcha Sudeep’s Max

Max emerged as a surprise hit, earning ₹10 crore on its opening day—the highest opening for a Kannada film in 2024. With positive word of mouth, it is expected to have a strong run over the extended weekend.

Pushpa 2 Remains Unstoppable

Directed by Sukumar, Pushpa 2 continues to dominate with its thrilling storyline and Allu Arjun’s brilliant performance. Even in its third week, the movie is drawing huge crowds and is on track to become the highest-grossing film of all time.

Varun Dhawan’s Return to the Big Screen

Baby John marks Varun Dhawan’s return to theaters after his web series Citadel: Honey Bunny, which was released in October. However, the film faces an uphill battle to make its mark at the box office amidst fierce competition.