Dulquer Salmaan's long-delayed 'I'm Game' released in theatres on September 3, arriving in Malayalam, Tamil, Telugu, Hindi and Kannada after being pushed back from an original August 20 date. The Malayalam-language fantasy action thriller is directed by Nahas Hidhayath and produced by Dulquer Salmaan and Jom Varghese under their banner, Wayfarer Films.
The film casts Dulquer as Dan John, a businessman with a transplanted hand whose life is upended after a fearless gambler's series of unexpected, high-stakes events. The supporting cast includes Antony Varghese, Mysskin, Kayadu Lohar, Samyuktha Viswanathan, Kathir and Vinay Forrt.
Reviews since release have been mixed to positive. Critics have singled out Dulquer's performance, the technical work, action choreography and background score for praise — 123telugu's review rated the film 2.75 out of 5, calling the central plot 'new' and its opening 'curious', while noting Antony Varghese's supporting turn stands out.
The recurring criticism has been pacing: reviewers point to a second half that turns predictable, action sequences that grow repetitive, and a nearly three-hour runtime that several critics said could lose 20 to 30 minutes without hurting the story. One reviewer summed the film up as working only 'in bits and pieces' despite its high production value.
