Dulquer Salmaan returned to Malayalam cinema after three years with I’m Game, and the numbers are finally out. The action thriller hit theatres on September 3 and collected Rs 5.05 crore net in India on its opening day. While that figure puts it ahead of Yash’s Toxic on a single-day comparison, it falls short of Dulquer’s own previous openings like Lucky Baskhar and King of Kotha.
The film, directed by Nahas Hidhayath, marks Dulquer’s first lead role in Mollywood since King of Kotha (2023). It arrived with significant buzz, but early reviews have been mixed. Still, the opening day performance gave the film a solid start across its release markets.
I’m Game Opening Day Box Office Numbers
According to industry tracker Sacnilk, I’m Game earned Rs 5.05 crore net in India on day one from 2,714 shows. The India gross collection stood at Rs 5.90 crore. Overseas markets contributed another Rs 5 crore, bringing the worldwide gross to Rs 10.90 crore on the first day. Some reports put the worldwide gross at Rs 11.35 crore.
The film recorded an overall occupancy of 44% across India. Kerala remained the strongest market, generating Rs 4.25 crore in gross collections on day one. Andhra Pradesh and Telangana together contributed Rs 75 lakh, while Karnataka added Rs 45 lakh and Tamil Nadu recorded Rs 25 lakh.
Language-Wise Breakdown
The Malayalam version led the box office haul by a large margin. It collected Rs 4.30 crore from 1,787 shows, recording an overall occupancy of 44.58%. Night shows saw the strongest response at 64.50% occupancy.
The Telugu version contributed Rs 65 lakh from 776 shows with 35.03% occupancy. The Hindi version collected Rs 10 lakh from 151 shows with 15.29% occupancy. The Tamil version recorded an overall occupancy of 12.75%.
How I’m Game Compares to Yash’s Toxic
I’m Game managed to beat Yash’s Toxic: A Fairytale For Grown Ups on a single-day comparison. While Dulquer’s film earned Rs 5.05 crore on day one, Yash’s pan-India film collected Rs 4 crore on its ninth day, according to Sacnilk. This means I’m Game opened higher than what Toxic could manage on a later day of its run.
Toxic had a massive opening with Rs 101 crore net on day one, but its daily collections dropped sharply afterward. By day nine, it had slowed down to Rs 4 crore. The comparison shows two very different box office trajectories, with I’m Game starting at a moderate level while Toxic started huge but lost momentum quickly.
Falling Short of Dulquer’s Own Records
Despite the positive start, I’m Game could not match the opening-day numbers of Dulquer’s previous films. Lucky Baskhar holds the record with Rs 7.35 crore, followed by King of Kotha at Rs 6.85 crore and Kurup at Rs 5.60 crore. I’m Game sits at fourth place among Dulquer’s top five opening-day performers.
The film earned Rs 1.45 crore less than King of Kotha on its first day. However, King of Kotha eventually grossed only Rs 31.35 crore worldwide during its theatrical run, which was considered a commercial disappointment. Whether I’m Game can sustain its momentum in the coming days remains to be seen.
Mixed Reviews and Audience Reactions
I’m Game received mixed reactions from critics and audiences. While many praised the engaging first half, the second half faced criticism for its writing and execution.
“Audiences praised the engaging first half, but many criticized the second half for its writing and execution, leading to mixed reactions overall.”
The film was originally scheduled for an Onam release but was postponed and finally arrived on September 3. It was set to clash with Khalifa and Bethlehem Kudumba Unit, but the delay changed those plans.
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About the Film and Cast
I’m Game is an action fantasy thriller directed by Nahas Hidhayath, who co-wrote the screenplay with Sajeer Baba, Ismail Aboobacker and Bilal Moidu. The film follows a gambler who trusts luck above everything else, but his world turns upside down after a series of events puts him in serious trouble.
The cast includes Dulquer Salmaan in the lead role, alongside Antony Varghese, Mysskin (making his Malayalam acting debut as the antagonist), Kayadu Lohar, Samyuktha Viswanathan, Kathir, Vinay Forrt and Parth Tiwari. The music was composed by Jakes Bejoy, with Dulquer himself singing the single Loser.
The film was produced by Dulquer Salmaan and Jom Varghese under their Wayfarer Films banner. It marks Dulquer’s 40th film overall.
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**Box office figures reported in the media are projections compiled from trade analysts, film distributors, and industry estimates. These numbers are rarely definitive and should be treated as approximate rather than exact financial records.
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