Cinema VinesDulquer Salmaan’s much‑anticipated Malayalam return, I’m Game, opened to a lukewarm critical reception but managed a solid start at the box office. The film, directed by Nahas Hidhayath and co‑written with Sajeer Baba, Ismail Aboobacker and Bilal Moidu, follows a gambler who relies on luck and finds himself tangled in a series of unforeseen events that force him to confront life’s challenges. Salmaan, who produced the film with Jom Varghese under Wayfarer Films, is joined on screen by Antony Varghese, Mysskin, Kayadu Lohar, Samyuktha Viswanathan, Kathir, Vinay Forrt and Parth Tiwari.
On its opening day, I’m Game collected ₹4.35 crore on Sunday, a figure that set the tone for a decent launch. However, the film’s performance faltered on Monday, when collections dropped by 65.5% to just ₹1.50 crore. Despite this sharp decline, the movie had already crossed the ₹20 crore mark, with a cumulative total of ₹20.50 crore after five days. The decline was mirrored in screen count and occupancy: the number of shows fell to 2,610, while overall occupancy slid from 36.6% to 17.7%.
Breaking down the earnings by language, the Malayalam version earned ₹1.07 crore from 1,224 shows, maintaining a 20.0% occupancy. The Telugu version brought in ₹0.25 crore from 673 shows at 18.0% occupancy, while the Tamil version added ₹0.17 crore from 626 shows at 14.0% occupancy. The Hindi version, shown in 87 screens, contributed a modest ₹0.01 crore with a 10.0% occupancy.
Initially slated for an Onam release, the film was expected to clash with Prithviraj Sukumaran’s Khalifa: The Ruler and Nivin Pauly’s Bethlehem Kudumba Unit. Even after five days, I’m Game has not surpassed Khalifa: The Ruler’s lifetime collection of ₹21 crore, nor has it come close to the ₹123.41 crore net haul of Bethlehem Kudumba Unit. The film’s struggle, especially on weekdays, signals a need for distributors to rethink marketing and release strategies to sustain momentum beyond the opening weekend.
