New Delhi: Actor Wamiqa Gabbi has candidly addressed the commercial failure and critical reception of Baby John, the action thriller that struggled to make a mark at the box office despite high expectations. In an interview with The Times of India, Wamiqa acknowledged that while the film had moments of appreciation, it ultimately didn’t connect with many viewers — in part because it was a remake of an already popular film.
“Yeah, I did my best and I think everybody did their best,” she said. “A lot of people liked it, and a lot of people did not resonate with it also.” The film, headlined by Varun Dhawan, was based on director Atlee’s Tamil blockbuster Theri, which starred Vijay Thalapathy. This comparison turned into a point of contention for many fans and critics, who felt Baby John lacked originality and emotional weight.
Wamiqa accepted that the remake nature may have been a liability: “I also think it was a remake, and people had already watched the original,” she said, while clarifying that it wasn’t a “complete frame-to-frame remake.”
Despite the negative buzz, Wamiqa’s own performance received praise from segments of the audience, and she expressed no regrets about her involvement in the film. Reflecting on the unpredictability of the film industry, she shared, “In our business, I feel like it’s all trust. There’s a meeting, you listen to the story. You have trust that they will make it good. They also have trust in you that you will perform well. Everyone has trust that they will make it. So it’s all based on trust, and you really don’t know what the results are going to be.”
Wamiqa ended on a grateful note, focusing on the positives of her experience. “I’m very happy to have met Atlee sir, to have worked with Varun, Jackie Shroff sir, Keerthi, and that little girl Zara. I met some great people, and I had a great time… It was so nice.”
Though Baby John didn’t meet expectations, Gabbi’s honest reflections and resilient attitude are winning her admiration as she moves on to new projects.
