# Nahas Hidhayath
**Nahas Hidhayath** (നഹാസ് ഹിദായത്ത്; also spelled Nahas Hidayath) is an Indian film director working in [Malayalam cinema](https://www.edgepedia.org/malayalam-cinema), from Kanjirappally in Kottayam district, Kerala, and based in Kochi[1](https://malayalam.filmibeat.com/celebs/nahas-hidhayath/biography.html) • [2](https://nettv4u.com/celebrity/malayalam/director/nahas-hidhayath). His directorial debut *RDX: Robert Dony Xavier* (2023) was a commercial success during the Onam 2023 season, and his second film, *[I'm Game](https://www.edgepedia.org/im-game-film)* (2026) with [Dulquer Salmaan](https://www.edgepedia.org/dulquer-salmaan) (ദുൽഖർ സൽമാൻ), followed[3](https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/movies/malayalam-filmmaker-nihas-hidhayath-on-his-directorial-debut-rdx-that-is-playing-to-full-houses/article67276265.ece) • [4](https://www.cinemaexpress.com/malayalam/news/2025/Mar/01/dulquer-salmaans-next-with-nahas-hidhayath-titled-im-game).
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Native name | നഹാസ് ഹിദായത്ത്; Malayalam film director[1](https://malayalam.filmibeat.com/celebs/nahas-hidhayath/biography.html) |
| Origin | Kanjirappally, Kottayam district; lives in Kochi[2](https://nettv4u.com/celebrity/malayalam/director/nahas-hidhayath) |
| Debut | *RDX: Robert Dony Xavier*, released 25 August 2023, produced by Sophia Paul[2](https://nettv4u.com/celebrity/malayalam/director/nahas-hidhayath) • [3](https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/movies/malayalam-filmmaker-nihas-hidhayath-on-his-directorial-debut-rdx-that-is-playing-to-full-houses/article67276265.ece) |
| Box office | *RDX* made him one of three Malayalam directors to reach a ₹1 billion (₹100 crore) film with a debut[5](https://www.hollywoodreporterindia.com/features/interviews/nahas-hidhayath-on-im-game-and-the-dream-that-began-as-an-extra-in-a-dulquer-salmaan-film) |
| Second film | *I'm Game* with Dulquer Salmaan, announced 1 March 2025, Wayfarer Films, five-language release[4](https://www.cinemaexpress.com/malayalam/news/2025/Mar/01/dulquer-salmaans-next-with-nahas-hidhayath-titled-im-game) |
| Entry into film | Juice-shop worker in Kochi, extra on *Kammatti Paadam* (2016), assistant director on *Godha*[6](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/malayalam/minnal-murali-director-basil-joseph-heartfelt-note-rdx-nahas-hidayath-8914472/) • [5](https://www.hollywoodreporterindia.com/features/interviews/nahas-hidhayath-on-im-game-and-the-dream-that-began-as-an-extra-in-a-dulquer-salmaan-film) |
## Early life and career beginnings
Nahas grew up in Kanjirappally in Kottayam district; the aggregator NETTV4U names St. Dominic's Higher Secondary School in Kanjirappally and St. George's School, Aruvithura among his schools, and records that he lives in Kochi[2](https://nettv4u.com/celebrity/malayalam/director/nahas-hidhayath). His route into cinema ran through menial work and persistence. In 2016, while working in a juice shop in Kochi after leaving his hometown, he approached director [Basil Joseph](https://www.edgepedia.org/basil-joseph) during pre-production of *Godha* to ask for a place on the direction team[6](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/malayalam/minnal-murali-director-basil-joseph-heartfelt-note-rdx-nahas-hidayath-8914472/). Basil advised him to make a short film first; weeks later Nahas returned with a half-hour film funded by his juice-shop savings and money borrowed from friends, and joined *Godha* as an assistant director[6](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/malayalam/minnal-murali-director-basil-joseph-heartfelt-note-rdx-nahas-hidayath-8914472/). IMDb separately credits him on the second unit of *Godha* (2017)[7](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm11431582/).
A second brush with the industry came the same year: he traveled to [Ernakulam](https://www.edgepedia.org/ernakulam) to watch the shoot of Dulquer Salmaan's *[Kammatti Paadam](https://www.edgepedia.org/kammatipaadam)* and ended up as one of the hundreds of extras in that day's shoot[5](https://www.hollywoodreporterindia.com/features/interviews/nahas-hidhayath-on-im-game-and-the-dream-that-began-as-an-extra-in-a-dulquer-salmaan-film). His first directorial project, *Aaravam*, with Antony Varghese and Ann Sheetal in the lead roles, was halted partway through shooting because of the Covid-19 pandemic and lockdown restrictions, after eight days of shoot[6](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/malayalam/minnal-murali-director-basil-joseph-heartfelt-note-rdx-nahas-hidayath-8914472/) • [3](https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/movies/malayalam-filmmaker-nihas-hidhayath-on-his-directorial-debut-rdx-that-is-playing-to-full-houses/article67276265.ece). In 2021, two of his short films, *14 Days of Love* and *Colour Padam*, went viral on social media, which brought him to producer Sophia Paul[3](https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/movies/malayalam-filmmaker-nihas-hidhayath-on-his-directorial-debut-rdx-that-is-playing-to-full-houses/article67276265.ece).
## RDX: Robert Dony Xavier
*RDX: Robert Dony Xavier*, released on 25 August 2023[2](https://nettv4u.com/celebrity/malayalam/director/nahas-hidhayath), is an action entertainer based on a fictionalised incident from Nahas's college days, scripted by Shabas Rasheed and [Adarsh Sukumaran](https://www.edgepedia.org/adarsh-sukumaran) and bankrolled by Sophia Paul, with [Shane Nigam](https://www.edgepedia.org/shane-nigam), Antony Varghese and [Neeraj Madhav](https://www.edgepedia.org/neeraj-madhav) in the lead roles[3](https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/movies/malayalam-filmmaker-nihas-hidhayath-on-his-directorial-debut-rdx-that-is-playing-to-full-houses/article67276265.ece).
**Action design.** As a fan of action films, Nahas insisted on the Chennai-based duo Anbariv, twins Anbumani and Arivumani, whose choreography credits include *KGF*, *Kaithi*, *Sarpatta Parambarai* and *Vikram*, even though their fee equalled or exceeded the budget of a typical Malayalam film[3](https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/movies/malayalam-filmmaker-nihas-hidhayath-on-his-directorial-debut-rdx-that-is-playing-to-full-houses/article67276265.ece). The film contains six fight sequences, with the actors trained in different styles; Neeraj Madhav was trained as a nunchaku master[3](https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/movies/malayalam-filmmaker-nihas-hidhayath-on-his-directorial-debut-rdx-that-is-playing-to-full-houses/article67276265.ece). The technical team comprised composer Sam CS, editor [Chaman Chakko](https://www.edgepedia.org/chaman-chakko), cinematographer Alex J Pulickal and costume designer Dhanya Balakrishnan[3](https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/movies/malayalam-filmmaker-nihas-hidhayath-on-his-directorial-debut-rdx-that-is-playing-to-full-houses/article67276265.ece).
## By the numbers
*RDX* arrived as an underdog against two star-driven Onam 2023 releases, Dulquer Salmaan's *King of Kotha* and [Nivin Pauly](https://www.edgepedia.org/nivin-pauly)'s *Ramachandra Boss & Co*, and raced past both[3](https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/movies/malayalam-filmmaker-nihas-hidhayath-on-his-directorial-debut-rdx-that-is-playing-to-full-houses/article67276265.ece). According to Hollywood Reporter India, it made Nahas one of three Malayalam directors to score a ₹1 billion (₹100 crore) film with their debut[5](https://www.hollywoodreporterindia.com/features/interviews/nahas-hidhayath-on-im-game-and-the-dream-that-began-as-an-extra-in-a-dulquer-salmaan-film). The film carries a 7.1 rating on IMDb[7](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm11431582/).
## Style and craft
The clearest marker of Nahas's approach is his treatment of action as a headline element rather than a supporting one. On a debut budget he chose to spend on choreographers from big-budget Tamil and Kannada productions, structured the film around six distinct fight sequences, and trained each actor in a different style of combat[3](https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/movies/malayalam-filmmaker-nihas-hidhayath-on-his-directorial-debut-rdx-that-is-playing-to-full-houses/article67276265.ece). Beyond action, his credited crew shows one continuing collaboration: editor Chaman Chakko worked on both *RDX* and *I'm Game*[3](https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/movies/malayalam-filmmaker-nihas-hidhayath-on-his-directorial-debut-rdx-that-is-playing-to-full-houses/article67276265.ece) • [4](https://www.cinemaexpress.com/malayalam/news/2025/Mar/01/dulquer-salmaans-next-with-nahas-hidhayath-titled-im-game).
## I'm Game and projects since 2023
On 1 March 2025, Dulquer Salmaan's banner Wayfarer Films announced *I'm Game*, directed by Nahas, marking Dulquer's return to Malayalam cinema two years after *King of Kotha*[4](https://www.cinemaexpress.com/malayalam/news/2025/Mar/01/dulquer-salmaans-next-with-nahas-hidhayath-titled-im-game). The announcement poster showed a bruised hand holding a cricket ball and a burning playing card[4](https://www.cinemaexpress.com/malayalam/news/2025/Mar/01/dulquer-salmaans-next-with-nahas-hidhayath-titled-im-game). Nahas wrote the story himself, with screenplay by Sajeer Baba, Bilal Moidu and Ismail Aboobacker; the technical team comprised cinematographer Jimshi Khalid, music director Jakes Bejoy, editor Chaman Chakko and production designer Ajayan Chalissery[4](https://www.cinemaexpress.com/malayalam/news/2025/Mar/01/dulquer-salmaans-next-with-nahas-hidhayath-titled-im-game). The film is produced by Dulquer Salmaan and Jom Varghese under Wayfarer Films and was scheduled for release in Malayalam, Tamil, Telugu, Hindi, and Kannada[4](https://www.cinemaexpress.com/malayalam/news/2025/Mar/01/dulquer-salmaans-next-with-nahas-hidhayath-titled-im-game).
In a [Mathrubhumi](https://www.edgepedia.org/mathrubhumi) interview, Nahas said *I'm Game* had originally been planned as his debut film, and that he holds a long-standing desire to make a film on the life of the cricketer [MS Dhoni](https://www.edgepedia.org/ms-dhoni)[8](https://www.mathrubhumi.com/videos/interviews/interview-with-director-nahas-hidayath-on-new-dulquer-salmaan-movie-iam-game-g342awkb). Hollywood Reporter India described the subject as a fantasy he had held on to for long, and noted that the film was released a day after that interview, in 2026[5](https://www.hollywoodreporterindia.com/features/interviews/nahas-hidhayath-on-im-game-and-the-dream-that-began-as-an-extra-in-a-dulquer-salmaan-film). elCinema lists him as director and writer of *I'm Game* (2026) and *RDX* (2023)[9](https://elcinema.com/en/person/2197611/filmography).
## Reception and recognition
The commercial reception of *RDX* was the defining event of Nahas's early career. [The Hindu](https://www.edgepedia.org/the-hindu) reported the film playing to full houses across Kerala during Onam 2023 and described it as having a dream run at the box office, having clearly outperformed its two star-driven rivals[3](https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/movies/malayalam-filmmaker-nihas-hidhayath-on-his-directorial-debut-rdx-that-is-playing-to-full-houses/article67276265.ece). Basil Joseph, his former employer on *Godha*, published a public tribute recalling Nahas's arrival in Kochi and the short film made on borrowed money that convinced him of his determination[6](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/malayalam/minnal-murali-director-basil-joseph-heartfelt-note-rdx-nahas-hidayath-8914472/). NETTV4U also records small acting appearances by Nahas, a short role in *RDX* itself and a supporting role in *Queen*, directed by Dino Jose[2](https://nettv4u.com/celebrity/malayalam/director/nahas-hidhayath).
## References
1. [നഹാസ് ഹിദായത്ത് ജീവചരിത്രം, Filmibeat Malayalam](https://malayalam.filmibeat.com/celebs/nahas-hidhayath/biography.html)
2. [Malayalam Director Nahas Hidhayath Biography, NETTV4U](https://nettv4u.com/celebrity/malayalam/director/nahas-hidhayath)
3. [Malayalam filmmaker Nahas Hidhayath talks about his debut project, 'RDX', which is having a dream run at the box office, The Hindu](https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/movies/malayalam-filmmaker-nihas-hidhayath-on-his-directorial-debut-rdx-that-is-playing-to-full-houses/article67276265.ece)
4. [Dulquer Salmaan's next with Nahas Hidhayath titled I'm Game, Cinema Express](https://www.cinemaexpress.com/malayalam/news/2025/Mar/01/dulquer-salmaans-next-with-nahas-hidhayath-titled-im-game)
5. [From Extra in Dulquer Salmaan's Film to Director of 'I'm Game': Nahas Hidayath's 10-Year Dream Journey, Hollywood Reporter India](https://www.hollywoodreporterindia.com/features/interviews/nahas-hidhayath-on-im-game-and-the-dream-that-began-as-an-extra-in-a-dulquer-salmaan-film)
6. [Minnal Murali director Basil Joseph pens heartfelt note for ex-assistant, RDX helmer Nahas Hidayath, The Indian Express](https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/malayalam/minnal-murali-director-basil-joseph-heartfelt-note-rdx-nahas-hidayath-8914472/)
7. [Nahas Hidayath, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/name/nm11431582/)
8. [Interview with director Nahas Hidayath on new Dulquer Salmaan movie I'm Game, Mathrubhumi](https://www.mathrubhumi.com/videos/interviews/interview-with-director-nahas-hidayath-on-new-dulquer-salmaan-movie-iam-game-g342awkb)
9. [Filmography: Nahas Hidhayath, elCinema](https://elcinema.com/en/person/2197611/filmography)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Screen people and creators › Film and television directors › Directors of South Asia*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Sep 18, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Sep 18, 2026; Oct 11, 2026; Oct 12, 2026; Oct 15, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
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