Dulquer Salmaan's much-awaited return to Malayalam cinema has crossed its first box-office milestone. But here's the catch: ₹10 crore in two days sounds promising until you look at who is winning the race.

Nahas Hidhayath's I’m Game collected around ₹4.60 crore net in India on Day 2, taking its two-day domestic total to approximately ₹10 crore, according to figures reported by Hindustan Times, citing industry tracker Sacnilk. The film had opened at ₹5.40 crore on Day 1, meaning its second-day collection dropped by about 14.8%.

So, is I’m Game losing steam? Not yet. But the weekend could decide everything.

I’m Game box office collection Day 2: ₹4.60 Crore Added

According to the reported Sacnilk figures, I’m Game earned approximately ₹4.60 crore net in India on Friday, taking its two-day total to ₹10 crore net.

The film recorded around 37% occupancy across 3,145 shows on Day 2. Compared with the ₹5.40 crore opening day, that works out to a 14.8% drop.

The 14.8% fall is not alarming on its own. In fact, considering the mixed reviews, the film has retained a reasonable chunk of its opening-day audience.

The bigger concern is what happens next. Weekday collections generally soften, which means I’m Game needs a strong Saturday and Sunday to build a comfortable cushion.

Source: Hindustan Times, citing Sacnilk. Read the full Day 2 report

How Did I’m Game Perform on Day 1?

The opening day Im Game Box Office Collection gives us a more detailed picture of audience turnout.

The Indian Express reported that the film earned ₹5.40 crore net in India from 2,714 shows on Thursday, September 3. The Malayalam version contributed ₹4.55 crore, while the Telugu and Hindi versions reportedly earned ₹75 lakh and ₹10 lakh respectively. 

The Malayalam movie market recorded an overall occupancy of 44.58%.

But the interesting part was the movement through the day:

• Morning: 33.67%
• Afternoon: 35.08%
• Evening: 43.33%
• Night: 64.50%

That jump in night occupancy suggests that the film picked up steam as the day progressed. It does not automatically prove strong word-of-mouth, but it does show that the audience turnout wasn't limited to the initial morning rush.

The Indian Express also reported a ₹11.35 crore worldwide gross on Day 1. This figure should not be confused with the ₹5.40 crore India-net collection, as the two figures use different measures.

How Does Dulquer Salmaan’s Film Compare With His Recent Releases?

This is where the ₹10-crore figure gets some much-needed context.

After two days, I’m Game sits in the middle of the pack among the recent releases mentioned by Hindustan Times.

That means I’m Game trails Lucky Baskhar by ₹3.90 crore, but is ahead of King of Kotha by around ₹55 lakh and Kaantha by approximately ₹65 lakh.

So calling the opening a disaster would be unfair.

At the same time, it hasn't produced the kind of breakout start that a highly anticipated comeback could have delivered.

For a star returning to his home-language audience after a three-year gap, the weekend will tell us far more than the opening day.

King of Kotha Opened Bigger - But That Doesn't Tell the Whole Story

There is a particularly interesting comparison with King of Kotha.

The 2023 film opened at around ₹6.85 crore India net, while I’m Game started at ₹5.40 crore. That's a difference of ₹1.45 crore on Day 1. 

Yet King of Kotha eventually struggled commercially, with The Indian Express reporting a worldwide theatrical gross of around ₹31.35 crore.

That comparison offers an important lesson: a strong opening does not guarantee a successful theatrical run.

For I’m Game, holding its audience over several days could ultimately matter more than winning the Day 1 comparison.

Bethlehem Kudumba Unit Is the Bigger Box-Office Challenge

If there's one film putting pressure on I’m Game right now, it's Bethlehem Kudumba Unit.

According to Hindustan Times, the Nivin Pauly and Mamitha Baiju-starrer collected approximately ₹12.05 crore net in its first two days, compared with I’m Game's ₹10 crore. More impressively, it had reached around ₹108 crore net in India in 15 days.

The Indian Express provides an even more striking comparison.

On the day I’m Game released, Bethlehem Kudumba Unit reportedly earned ₹4.05 crore, despite already being in theatres for its 14th day.

In other words, the new release earned only ₹1.35 crore more than a film that had been running for nearly two weeks.

That's a clear sign of how strong the existing competition is.

Did the Delayed Release Affect I’m Game?

The timing of the release is another factor worth considering.

The I’m Game movie release date was eventually set for September 3, but the film was originally expected to arrive during the Onam period in August.

According to Hindustan Times, the film had initially been planned alongside Bethlehem Kudumba Unit and Prithviraj Sukumaran's Khalifa before being postponed.

The Indian Express noted that the I’m Game movie release date eventually moved away from the start of the Onam vacation, raising the possibility that the film may have missed out on some holiday-driven theatrical footfall. 

It is impossible to know exactly how much the original holiday window would have added, so this should be treated as a possibility rather than a confirmed reason for the current numbers.

Img Src : KoiMoi

Can Mixed Reviews Affect the Weekend?

The biggest unknown now is word-of-mouth.

I’m Game has received mixed reviews. While the fantasy-action premise and some of its visual elements have found appreciation, criticism has also focused on the film's narrative cohesion and screenplay.

The Indian Express cited SCREEN reviewer Anandu Suresh, who criticised the film for feeling more like a collection of scenes and moments than a fully cohesive narrative. 

That could become important now.

Opening-day collections are often driven by anticipation. Saturday and Sunday depend much more on whether audiences recommend the film to others.

What Does I’m Game Need Now?

The immediate target is simple: a strong weekend jump.

If Saturday rises sharply and Sunday maintains that momentum, the ₹10-crore two-day total could become the foundation of a healthy opening weekend.

If collections remain flat, the film may struggle to create momentum. And if there is a steep fall after the weekend, mixed word-of-mouth could become a bigger concern.

There is, however, one advantage. The Indian Express noted that the film does not currently face a major wave of new Malayalam movie releases, potentially giving it some breathing room in theatres.

Is I’m Game a Hit or Flop?

It is far too early to give I’m Game a hit-or-flop verdict after just two days.

The current picture is more nuanced. Im Game Box Office Collections has crossed ₹10 crore in two days, suffered a relatively moderate Day 2 drop and remains ahead of Kaantha and King of Kotha at the same stage.

But it is behind Lucky Baskhar, while Bethlehem Kudumba Unit continues to dominate the Kerala box office.

For now, the fairest verdict is a decent but underwhelming start.

The next numbers to watch are Saturday, Sunday and Monday. If the film can turn its ₹10-crore opening into a strong weekend and then hold reasonably well through the weekdays, Dulquer Salmaan's comeback could still find its footing.

For now, the ₹10-crore milestone is only the beginning. The real box-office game starts this weekend.