Atlee and Varun Dhawan’s highly anticipated mass-actioner Baby John is gearing up for a theatrical release around Christmas. The film, however, will face stiff competition from Allu Arjun’s Pushpa 2, which is shattering box office records both in India and internationally.
When asked about the potential clash, Atlee clarified the situation at a press conference in Mumbai, stating, “It’s an ecosystem. Me and Allu Arjun sir are very good friends. We’re releasing Baby John in the fourth week of December, not head-to-head. So don’t call it a clash. There’s no conflict here.”
Atlee added that Pushpa 2 had initially been slated for an August release before shifting to December, and he and his team adjusted their plans accordingly. “We’re all professionals, and we know how to handle this,” he said
Speaking about Allu Arjun, Atlee revealed the camaraderie between the two filmmakers. “He congratulated me about the film and spoke to Varun. There’s great friendship and love in this ecosystem,” he said.
Meanwhile, Pushpa 2 continues to dominate the box office. The film has already surpassed the collections of Bollywood juggernauts such as Shah Rukh Khan’s Jawan and Pathaan, and Sunny Deol’s Gadar 2. According to trade website Sacnilk, the Hindi version of Pushpa 2 alone crossed the £60 million mark in just 14 days, while the film is only a few million pounds away from achieving the £100 million milestone at the domestic box office.
About Baby John
Baby John features Varun Dhawan, Keerthy Suresh, Wamiqa Gabbi, Jackie Shroff, and Rajpal Yadav in pivotal roles. The film is a remake of Vijay’s blockbuster Theri, which was also helmed by Atlee. Produced by Priya Atlee, Murad Khetani, and Jyoti Deshpande, Baby John is slated for release on 25 December, perfectly timed to capture the festive holiday audience.
With both films expected to draw massive crowds, Christmas 2024 promises to be an exhilarating season for cinema lovers.