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Baby John (2024)

Rating: ⭐3.1/5

Plot Overview

John D’Silva (Varun Dhawan), a bakery owner, is a devoted single father to his daughter Khushi (Zara Zyanna). One day, Khushi’s teacher, Tara (Wamiqa Gabbi), accidentally exposes John's hidden past when she takes a young girl, rescued from human traffickers, to the police station in his van. This leads to the revelation that John is actually DCP Satya Verma, a once-feared cop. With his true identity exposed, John must face his old enemy, Nana (Jackie Shroff), a ruthless criminal seeking revenge for his son's death. Now, as Khushi’s life is at risk, John must return to his past ways to protect her.

The bond between John and Khushi gives the movie a warm start, and their playful moments with Tara add charm. But the film stumbles when it shifts to flashbacks of John's past as a supercop. The story, written by Atlee, Sumit Arora, and Kalees, follows a predictable formula, filled with clichés like kidnappers targeting children and a hero rising to fight crime. Even John’s romantic subplot with Meera (Keerthy Suresh), a doctor, feels too familiar. The movie gains momentum when Nana's son kidnaps a girl, forcing Satya to take action.

At nearly two hours and forty-one minutes, the film struggles to balance John’s past and present. This disconnect affects the overall flow of the story, making it harder to stay engaged. However, there are still enjoyable moments, such as Satya humorously asking a goon about the fastest animal, to which the goon responds, “Bhediya, aapko toh pata hoga,” a playful reference to Varun’s previous horror-comedy role. The action scenes, with strong choreography and dramatic pyrotechnics captured by Kiran Koushik’s cinematography, add excitement to the film.

Varun Dhawan shines in his dual role, portraying both a loving father and a fearless cop, which adds depth to the story, despite its predictability. Wamiqa Gabbi does well with her role but doesn’t get the chance to explore her character’s backstory as an undercover cop. Rajpal Yadav, playing constable Sevakram, and Jacky, John’s loyal aide, bring some welcome humor. Jackie Shroff’s portrayal of Nana is menacing and memorable, even in his limited screen time.

Though the film has thrilling action sequences, it misses a chance to make a deeper impact with its story and narrative.

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