‘Baaghi 4’ Dismissed As ‘Copy-Paste’

Tiger Shroff returns as the avenging Ronnie in the fourth instalment of Baaghi. The teaser, featuring a bloodied Tiger reflecting on the difference between necessity and importance before facing off with Sanjay Dutt, is billed as the franchise’s most violent chapter yet.

But the reaction online has been tepid. Many called it a ‘copy-paste’ version of Ranbir Kapoor’s Animal. “A lazy version of Animal,” wrote one user, while another quipped, “Nothing new, except Tiger adding more packs to his abs.” Several drew scene-by-scene comparisons between the two films.

The Malayalam action thriller Marco, considered India’s most violent film, was another reference point. “Marco and Baaghi 4 — theatre becoming stadium” said one user, while others dismissed the teaser as a “Marco knock-off.”

An exhibitor told Deccan Chronicle, “The teaser is critical to a film’s success. If it feels like a photocopy of previous hits, where’s the draw?”

Will ‘Baaghi 4’ follow the follow-up flop pattern?

For Tiger, returning a year after the debacle of Bade Miyan Chote Miyan, the stakes are high. “None of his recent films have worked. He isn’t reinventing himself; action feels the same in every film. He seriously needs to take stock,” said a publicist.

The teaser’s reception comes amid a rough patch for sequels. Recent follow-ups like Son of Sardaar 2 and Dhadak 2 have underperformed.

According to Sacnilk, Son of Sardaar 2 has earned Rs 42 crore so far, with Rs 3.75 crore coming on its tenth day. Dhadak 2, directed by Shazia Iqbal, has collected only Rs 18.70 crore despite positive word-of-mouth for its anti–caste politics storyline. “Dhadak 2 had limited screens and appealed to a niche audience. Son of Sardaar 2 had wider release and marketing gimmicks like buy-one-get-one tickets, but no story to speak of,” said a Delhi-based exhibitor.

In a recent interview to Deccan Chronicle, Nawazuddin Siddiqui criticised Bollywood’s over-reliance on franchises. “Now there are 2, 3, 4 sequels being made,” he said. “It shows fear of failure and an unwillingness to take risks, leading to stagnation instead of growth.”