Baby John Varun Dhawan’s Movie Review: A Remake Disaster
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Baby John fails to live up to expectations, delivering a chaotic remake of the Tamil original Theri. Despite a talented cast and the promise of mass moments, the film falls flat due to tonal inconsistencies, outdated themes, and a lack of character depth. Baby John Varun DhawanThe world of mass cinema, especially in Indian film, thrives on the charm of larger-than-life characters, absurd action sequences, and a fan’s willingness to suspend disbelief. In Baby John, the Hindi remake of the Tamil blockbuster Theri, we are expected to buy into the spectacle of the supercop, DCP Satya Verma (Varun Dhawan), as he battles a range of villains, big and small, all while trying to protect his daughter and restore order. But despite its potential, Baby John falls short on many levels, failing to capture the essence of the original and delivering a film that is, frankly, a disappointing remake disaster.
The opening scene offers a hint of something fresh when Meera (Keerthy Suresh) introduces herself to DCP Satya Verma as a “Chennai ponnu” (a girl from Chennai). Immediately, one expects some tongue-in-cheek humor, maybe a Thelaivvaa joke or at least a reference to lungis, curd rice, or the general South Indian stereotypes that have become ubiquitous in Hindi films. However, this moment is left untouched, likely due to the South Indian backgrounds of director Kalees and producer Atlee. The humor here is subtle, grounded, and avoids the clichés that often plague Bollywood’s portrayal of Southern India. The scene suggests that the film might veer into a more nuanced narrative, but unfortunately, this is where the surprises end. Baby John Varun Dhawan
Mass Moments in Cinema: A Star’s Contract
One of the central elements of mass cinema is the unspoken contract between the star and the audience. The audience knows that the events on screen are unrealistic, exaggerated, and sometimes downright absurd, but they willingly buy into it because of the star. In essence, a hero’s larger-than-life persona becomes the lens through which the audience consumes these impossible scenarios. The star’s punch dialogues, slow-motion action scenes, and effortlessly cool moments become iconic. In Baby John, Varun Dhawan tries to emulate what Vijay effortlessly pulled off in Theri, yet falls short at almost every turn.
Varun Dhawan’s John is introduced as a gentle baker living a peaceful life with his daughter Khushi (Zara Zyanna). However, this idyllic life is shattered when a group of goons enter the picture, setting in motion a series of events that force John to embrace his darker side. What follows is a chaotic series of over-the-top action scenes, romantic ballads, and ill-paced confrontations. Dhawan struggles to match the intensity and depth that Vijay brought to the role in the original. The film desperately tries to create a compelling narrative, but the forced nature of its action sequences only exposes the lack of conviction behind them. Baby John Varun Dhawan
Lack of Tonal Consistency
A significant issue with Baby John is its tonal inconsistency. The screenplay lurches back and forth between moments of breezy romance, action-packed violence, and melodrama, often without any seamless transitions. The film attempts to balance light-hearted romantic songs and dance sequences featuring Satya, but these moments clash violently with the grim and often disturbing realities faced by the characters. Baby John Varun Dhawan’s movie
In contrast, Theri presented a more coherent and balanced narrative. While it too dealt with intense themes like the rape of a young woman, it did so with sensitivity and depth. The narrative didn’t feel forced or overly sensationalized, and it allowed the gravity of the situation to resonate with the audience.
In Baby John, however, the filmmakers seem to have taken the shock factor to new extremes. Eight years after Theri, a single rape is no longer enough to drive the story. Instead, we are subjected to numerous graphic scenes of violence against women, some of which feel exploitative and misplaced. The filmmakers’ decision to depict these atrocities without the emotional weight needed to justify them turns these moments into mere plot devices, undermining the gravity of the narrative and the characters’ motivations. Baby John Varun Dhawan
A Tokenistic Female Character
Another major disappointment in Baby John is its treatment of female characters. While Keerthy Suresh brings charm to the role of Meera, her character is relegated to a secondary role, existing primarily as a romantic interest. The relationship between Meera and Satya, much like the plot itself, feels dated, and the dynamics between them never feel truly fleshed out. The romance, which was central to the plot of Theri, feels forced and out of place in the context of a modern Hindi film. Baby John Varun Dhawan’s movie
Wamiqa Gabbi’s character does show some attempts at agency compared to the original film’s female characters, but it remains a tokenistic portrayal. The camera frequently lingers over Varun Dhawan’s muscles, emphasizing his physical presence over any real emotional connection between the characters. The result is a film where the female characters are given little screen time or meaningful development. They serve only as plot accessories to the larger-than-life male hero, a missed opportunity for the film to create complex, layered female characters. Baby John Varun Dhawan
A Franchise on the Horizon?
One of the most glaring issues with Baby John is its lack of originality. It’s not just that it’s a remake; it’s that the film doesn’t even attempt to add anything fresh or new to the original material. From the dialogue to the action scenes, Baby John is, for the most part, a scene-by-scene recreation of Theri. The tweaks made to adapt the film to the Hindi-speaking audience do little to enhance the overall experience.
The film also hints at the possibility of a franchise, with a cameo by Salman Khan, one of Bollywood’s biggest stars. However, the execution of this cameo is lackluster at best. Instead of generating excitement, it feels more like a desperate attempt to add star power to a film that has already proven its inability to captivate its audience. This approach feels more like an attempt to cash in on the success of Theri rather than a genuine effort to create something memorable. If this is the foundation for a new franchise, it would be wise to take a nap and reconsider the strategy.
Conclusion: A Remake Disaster
Ultimately, Baby John falls into the trap of being a poorly executed remake. Its inability to bring anything new to the table, combined with its tonal inconsistencies, lackluster performances, and underdeveloped characters, makes it a film that is easily forgettable. Jackie Shroff’s portrayal of Babbar Sher, the chief villain, is a prime example of the film’s failure to deliver compelling antagonists. In Theri, Mahendran’s portrayal of the villain was chilling, with an understated yet menacing presence. In Baby John, Shroff’s character is written as an over-the-top ganglord who resembles a cartoonish caricature rather than a credible threat. His scenes are awkward and poorly choreographed, further adding to the film’s overall lack of impact. Baby John Varun Dhawan
Baby John ultimately serves as a reminder of why remakes are so challenging. When a film fails to understand what made the original work and instead offers a half-hearted attempt to recreate it, the result is a disappointment. With its lack of originality and poor execution, Baby John is unlikely to be remembered as a great film, and it serves as a warning about the perils of remaking a film without offering anything new or meaningful. Baby John Varun Dhawan’s movie
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