‘I’m Game’ movie review: Dulquer Salmaan starrer wastes a winning idea

A scene from the movie I’m a Game. | Photo credit: Special arrangement

Grabbing an audience by the collar and taking them on a journey is no easy task. In I’m Game, Nahas Hidhayath had an idea that could do just that, though Hollywood has dealt with similar themes before. But alas, the filmmaker only holds on to his fascinating concept for a moment before loosening his grip and veering into familiar narrative patterns.

Dan John (Dulquer Salmaan), a spoiled child of a rich family, runs the business exactly as his father wished, but his heart lies in gambling like there’s no tomorrow. Despite his wealthy background, his gambling habit puts him up to his neck in debt. But something bizarre happens to him that changes the trajectory of his life, as well as the lives of many others.

Movie: I Am Game (Malayalam)

Directed by Nahas Hidayath

Starring: Dulquer Salmaan, Kayadu Lohar, Mysskin, Samyuktha Viswanathan, Vinay Forrt, Anthony ‘Pepe’ Varghese, Kathir

Plot: The life of a gambler, up to his neck in debt, changes after a bizarre event.

Duration: 174 minutes

For Dulquer Salmaan, who had appeared in Malayalam cinema after a while, it was the perfect opportunity to make a comeback as his character had a huge scope for humor and action. The film offers them for a while before derailing.

Nahas Hidayath made his debut with RDX, a film with a minimal story that gave the audience an emotional need to root for the three protagonists during long action sequences. However, in I’m Game, despite the numerous story threads and ideas, everything happens at a distance, leaving the audience untouched by what happens to any of the characters. It also makes the smoothly edited and shot action sequences feel a little stretched at points.

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One of the strangest decisions by screenwriters Sajeer Baba, Ismail Aboobacker and Bilal Moidu is a long flashback story revolving around betting in the major cricket league. What could have been told in a few cleverly shot scenes is presented as a full-fledged narrative. With an overly melodramatic romance thrown in as well, the main supernatural story takes a back seat and Dulquer’s character disappears from the screen for quite a long time. The film never really recovers from the slump it suffered during this phase where we are forced to wait for the flashback to spiral into a predictable ending.

The hope that things will change for the better after the extended flashback is in vain, as the writers have abandoned the interesting core concept and focused on a run-of-the-mill revenge story. In the end, the only real creative spark was in the supernatural idea around which many generic elements were woven. Human greed, the changing behavior of the spoiled rich kid, and the corrosive effect of money on sports remain unexplored after being briefly addressed.

In I’m Game, Nahas Hidayath loses the bird in his hand and chases the two in the bushes.

I’m Game is currently playing in theaters.

Published – 4 Sep 2026 0:05 AM IST