Varun Dhawans much-anticipated action thriller Baby John directed by Kalees and produced by Atlee hit theatres today December 25. Despite the Christmas release and big-budget backing the film has struggled to make a strong impact with its advance bookings selling only 126446 tickets and earning Rs 5 crore by the morning of its release. The film which has 9916 shows scheduled across India collected just Rs 3.52 crore on its opening day - a disappointing figure for such a high-profile release. Adding to its woes Baby John faces fierce competition from Sukumar’s blockbuster Pushpa 2: The Rule which has taken the box office by storm raking in over Rs 1560 crore in just 19 days. Another challenge for the film comes from Mufasa which has already been drawing audiences and remains a strong contender in the market. Varun Dhawans last box office hit For Varun Dhawan Baby John carries high stakes as his recent projects like Bhediya and Bawaal underperformed. His last box office hit was Jugjugg Jeeyo back in 2022 and fans are hoping this film will mark his comeback. The movie also stars Keerthy Suresh Wamiqa Gabbi Rajpal Yadav and Jackie Shroff with production by Murad Khetani Priya Atlee and Jio Studios. Directed by Atlee who delivered the blockbuster Jawan the film carries the weight of high expectations. While early predictions suggest an opening in the Rs 12-15 crore range reaching Rs 18 crore if smaller cities perform well the films success hinges on audience feedback and sustained collections in the coming days. Only time will tell if Baby John can overcome its slow start to become a box-office winner.