India's Leading Exhibitor Expects Varun Dhawan To Be In The Same League As Ranbir Kapoor; know why

Varun Dhawan's New Movie

The exhibitors are one of the most important people in the movie business. By exhibiting films at their theatres, they bridge the gap between a star and their fans. More often than not, they know the pulse of the prospective audience that will visit the theatres. In an interview with Pinkvilla at Cine Expo 2024, India's leading independent exhibitors namely Vishek Chauhan, Akshaye Rathi, Daggubati Suresh Babu, Satadeep Saha and Ashutosh Agarwal discussed about movies (particularly Baby John).

The exhibitors were asked about the 5 and a half minute Baby John glimpse that they saw at Cine Expo 2024, in the presence of the producers of the film - Murad Khetani, Atlee Kumar and Priya Atlee. The General Secretary of UP Cine Exhibitors Welfare Association, Mr Ashutosh Agarwal exclaimed that they saw it twice on public demand. Mr Vishek Chauhan, who runs a theatre named Roopbani in Purnea acknowledged what Mr Ashutosh Agarwal said. The CEO of SSR Cinemas and the owner of a bunch of other cinemas in West Bengal, Mr Satadeep Saha, affirmed that everyone in the room wanted to watch the glimpse again.

Commenting on the fan-following of director turned producer Atlee Kumar, Mr Ashutosh Agarwal said, "Atlee has a fan-following in the north as well. He was first a star in the south but now he is a star all over India (after Jawan). The confidence he had, the way he said that Gaeity Galaxy is the best screen in Mumbai; So that gives us the confidence that he has made Baby John for the masses; Made this film for the single screens. Multiplexes will automatically run. We have to fill-in the single screens first and this film is about that.

Mr Vishek Chauhan said, "I got up and couldn't contain myself after watching this trailer. I'll be very honest. I got up and congratulated the team. I told them that it is fantastic and I absolutely loved it". He continued, "I think it is this kind of filmmaking that is missing in the north. And this is what the audience actually loves. Every section of the audience will connect with it. This is what the theatrical experience is all about. Getting everyone under one roof; Enjoying, clapping, whistling, with the hero, with the protagonist, and having a good time. That is what has gone missing from Bombay. We have started making segmented cinema. We like making niche cinema. Pura wholesome chahiye (We want wholesome cinema)". "That's what Baby John is and that's what we are missing. Like Jawan comes along and people go berserk", he concluded.

When every exhibitor was asked to talk about the biggest star in their region, Mr Vishek Chauhan mentioned the likes of Salman Khan, Shah Rukh Khan and also Ajay Devgn, Hrithik Roshan and Akshay Kumar with the right content. He also said that Ranbir Kapoor is in a different league after Animal and he expects Varun Dhawan to be in the same league as Ranbir Kapoor finds himself in, after the release of Baby John this Christmas.

Baby John is directed by Atlee Kumar's assistant Kalees and stars Keerthy Suresh and Wamiqa Gabbi apart from Varun Dhawan. It hits theatres on 25th December, 2024. How excited are you for Baby John? If you are very excited, brace yourselves for the Baby John teaser, expected to release this Dussehra.