Dulquer Salmaan, Nahas Hidayath promise high-energy theatrical experience with 'I’m Game'

The grand music launch and pre-release event of "I’m Game" turned into a lively celebration on August 29, 2026, at the Kinfra International Exhibition Centre in Kakkanad, Kochi. Lead actor-producer Dulquer Salmaan and director Nahas Hidayath spoke about the film, its characters and the effort behind the upcoming action thriller, set for a worldwide release on September 3.

For Dulquer, "I’m Game" marks an important return to Malayalam cinema as a lead actor after three years. Speaking to an enthusiastic crowd, he described the film as a special homecoming and thanked Malayalam audiences for waiting patiently during his absence from the industry.

Dulquer also reserved strong praise for his co-star Antony Varghese, popularly known as Pepe. He said Pepe is the “real hero” of "I’m Game", highlighting his major contribution to the film’s intense and physically demanding action sequences.

Dulquer plays Dan John, a sophisticated and strategic gambler. He explained that the character is different from the usual portrayal of gambling in commercial films. Rather than depending on luck, Dan John uses mathematics, logic, algorithms and pattern recognition to make his decisions. This makes gambling, in the world of the film, a dangerous intellectual game.

The actor also teased a major transformation in Dan John’s journey, adding that the character begins as a stylish, sophisticated luxury gambler but later becomes a rugged, battle-hardened anti-hero fighting for survival. Dulquer said he was excited to explore this modern and sleek character, which moves away from familiar retro-style action heroes.

As a producer backing the film through the Wayfarer Films banner, Dulquer described the project as a carefully planned theatrical experience made especially for Malayalam audiences. After working extensively in Tamil, Telugu and Hindi cinema, he said returning to his home industry with such a large-scale film was deeply meaningful.

Director Nahas Hidayath, meanwhile, spoke about the pressure of making his second film after the success of his debut, "RDX". He said the team worked extremely hard to give audiences exactly what they expect from a modern action thriller.

The scale of "I’m Game" is said to be particularly noteworthy. According to Nahas, the film was shot over 156 days across more than 100 locations in South India. Unlike "RDX", which focused heavily on street fights and local martial arts, the new film combines corporate crime, sports betting, psychological drama and large-scale action.

The film's visual style is another major attraction. Cinematographers Jimshi Khalid and Jomon T. John have worked hard to give "I’m Game" a fresh visual identity.

Composer Jakes Bejoy also added to the excitement at the event with a showcase of the film’s musical world. The soundtrack combines electronic synth sounds with live strings and trumpets. The crowd received previews of tracks including “Loser”, while singers Baby Jean and Zeba Tommy added to the musical showcase.

The event reached another high point when Dulquer responded to a request from the crowd and briefly returned to his familiar role as a singer on stage. With thousands of fans cheering, the music launch ended on an energetic note.