Ek Tha Tiger
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''Ek Tha Tiger'' () is a 2012 Indian
Hindi Hindi ( Devanāgarī: or , ), or more precisely Modern Standard Hindi (Devanagari: ), is an Indo-Aryan language spoken chiefly in the Hindi Belt region encompassing parts of northern, central, eastern, and western India. Hindi has been ...
-language
espionage Espionage, spying, or intelligence gathering is the act of obtaining secret or confidential information (intelligence) from non-disclosed sources or divulging of the same without the permission of the holder of the information for a tangib ...
action thriller film Action film is a film genre in which the protagonist is thrust into a series of events that typically involve violence and physical feats. The genre tends to feature a mostly resourceful hero struggling against incredible odds, which include life ...
directed by Kabir Khan and co-written by Khan and
Neelesh Misra Neelesh Misra (born 4 May 1973) is an Indian journalist, author, radio storyteller, scriptwriter and lyricist. He is most known for his radio show, Yaadon Ka IdiotBox with Neelesh Misra on BIG FM 92.7. He is co-founder-editor of Gaon Connecti ...
, from a story by and produced by
Aditya Chopra Aditya Chopra (; born 21 May 1971) is an Indian filmmaker, studio executive, producer and film distributor who mainly works in Indian cinema. Currently serving as the Chairman and Managing Director of Yash Raj Films, founded by his father Ya ...
. It is the first installment in the ''Tiger'' franchise and the first film in the
YRF Spy Universe ''YRF Spy Universe'' is an Indian shared universe centered on a series of spy action-thriller films, which feature various fictional RAW agents. It is produced and distributed by Yash Raj Films. The franchise is commercially successful by ha ...
. It stars
Salman Khan Abdul Rashid Salim Salman Khan (; 27 December 1965) is an Indian actor, film producer, and television personality who works in Hindi films. In a film career spanning over thirty years, Khan has received numerous awards, including two Nation ...
,
Katrina Kaif Katrina Kaif (; born Katrina Turquotte; 16 July 1983) is a British actress who works in Hindi-language films. One of the highest-paid actresses in India, she has received accolades, including four Screen Awards and four Zee Cine Awards, in a ...
,
Ranvir Shorey Ranvir Shorey is an Indian actor and former VJ who works in Hindi films and television. Since making his debut in '' Ek Chhotisi Love Story'' (2002), he has starred in a number of high-profile films such as '' Jism'' (2003) and '' Lakshya'' ( ...
,
Roshan Seth Roshan Seth (born 2 April 1942) is a British-Indian actor, writer and theatre director who has worked in the United Kingdom, United States and India. He began his acting career in the early 1960s in the UK, but left acting the following decade ...
,
Girish Karnad Girish Karnad (19 May 1938 – 10 June 2019) was an Indian actor, film director, Kannada writer, playwright and a Jnanpith awardee, who predominantly worked in South Indian cinema and Bollywood. His rise as a playwright in the 1960s marked the ...
, and
Gavie Chahal Navdeepak Singh Chahal better known by his stage name Gavie Chahal, is an Indian actor who primarily works in Hindi and Punjabi cinema. Career Chahal won the title of Mr. Punjab in 2000. His first music video, "Jattan de putt saadh ho gaye" ...
. In the film, Avinash "Tiger" Singh Rathore (Khan), an
Indian Indian or Indians may refer to: Peoples South Asia * Indian people, people of Indian nationality, or people who have an Indian ancestor ** Non-resident Indian, a citizen of India who has temporarily emigrated to another country * South Asia ...
spy, is tasked with recovering information before it is gained by
Pakistan Pakistan ( ur, ), officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan ( ur, , label=none), is a country in South Asia. It is the world's fifth-most populous country, with a population of almost 243 million people, and has the world's second-lar ...
, but is sidetracked after falling in love with Zoya Humaimi (Kaif). ''Ek Tha Tiger'' is the third collaboration between Kabir Khan and
Yash Raj Films Yash Raj Films (YRF) is an Indian film production and distribution company founded by veteran filmmaker Yash Chopra in 1970. It mainly produces and distributes Hindi and Punjabi films. The company has grown to be one of the largest film studios ...
, after he directed ''
Kabul Express ''Kabul Express'' is a 2006 Indian Hindi-language adventure film written and directed by documentary film maker Kabir Khan and produced by Aditya Chopra under Yash Raj Films was released on 15 December 2006. The film stars John Abraham, Arsha ...
'' (2006) and '' New York'' (2009). It entered a complicated production process, with delays, rewrites, and several cast members attached at various points.
Principal photography Principal photography is the phase of producing a film or television show in which the bulk of shooting takes place, as distinct from the phases of pre-production and post-production. Personnel Besides the main film personnel, such as a ...
began in August 2011 and lasted until July 2012, with filming locations including
Dublin Dublin (; , or ) is the capital and largest city of Ireland. On a bay at the mouth of the River Liffey, it is in the province of Leinster, bordered on the south by the Dublin Mountains, a part of the Wicklow Mountains range. At the 2016 c ...
,
Havana Havana (; Spanish: ''La Habana'' ) is the capital and largest city of Cuba. The heart of the La Habana Province, Havana is the country's main port and commercial center.
,
Bangkok Bangkok, officially known in Thai as Krung Thep Maha Nakhon and colloquially as Krung Thep, is the capital and most populous city of Thailand. The city occupies in the Chao Phraya River delta in central Thailand and has an estimated populati ...
,
Istanbul ) , postal_code_type = Postal code , postal_code = 34000 to 34990 , area_code = +90 212 (European side) +90 216 (Asian side) , registration_plate = 34 , blank_name_sec2 = GeoTLD , blank_i ...
, and
Delhi Delhi, officially the National Capital Territory (NCT) of Delhi, is a city and a union territory of India containing New Delhi, the capital of India. Straddling the Yamuna river, primarily its western or right bank, Delhi shares borders ...
. The film's music was composed primarily by
Sohail Sen Sohail Sen (born 24 June 1984) is an Indian film composer, musician and singer who works in Bollywood. He debuted as a film composer with the Hindi film Sirf (film), ''Sirf'' (2008), which went majorly unnoticed. Later, he gained fame as a Hindi ...
, with the soundtrack's lead single and
theme song Theme music is a musical composition that is often written specifically for radio programming, television shows, video games, or films and is usually played during the title sequence, opening credits, closing credits, and in some instances at ...
, "Mashallah", composed by Sajid-Wajid. Originally set for release in June 2012, the film was theatrically released worldwide by Yash Raj on 15 August 2012. The film received generally mixed to positive reviews, with praise for its action sequences, music, and performances of its leads, while there was some criticism for its tone, which was labelled inconsistent. ''Ek Tha Tiger'' set numerous box-office records in its theatrical run, grossing worldwide. It was the highest-grossing Hindi film of 2012, is the 36th highest-grossing Indian film of all time, unadjusted for inflation, and set the then-record for the highest-grossing domestic opening weekend, with . The film won Best Special Effects at the 14th IIFA Awards and won five
People's Choice Award The People's Choice Awards is an American awards show, recognizing people in entertainment, voted online by the general public and fans. The show has been held annually since 1975, with the winners originally determined using Gallup Polls until ...
s, including Best Film, Best Actor, and Best Actress for Khan and Kaif. A
sequel A sequel is a work of literature, film, theatre, television, music or video game that continues the story of, or expands upon, some earlier work. In the common context of a narrative work of fiction, a sequel portrays events set in the same ...
, ''
Tiger Zinda Hai ''Tiger Zinda Hai'' () is a 2017 Indian Hindi-language espionage action thriller film written and directed by Ali Abbas Zafar from a story by Zafar and Neelesh Misra. The sequel to ''Ek Tha Tiger'' (2012), it is the second instalment in the ''T ...
'', was released on 22 December 2017. A third film, ''Tiger 3'', was announced in June 2018.


Plot

Avinash "Tiger" Singh Rathore, a
RAW Raw is an adjective usually describing: * Raw materials, basic materials from which products are manufactured or made * Raw food, uncooked food Raw or RAW may also refer to: Computing and electronics * .RAW, a proprietary mass spectrometry dat ...
officer, is forced to kill Rabinder, one of his men, for defecting to
Pakistan Pakistan ( ur, ), officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan ( ur, , label=none), is a country in South Asia. It is the world's fifth-most populous country, with a population of almost 243 million people, and has the world's second-lar ...
's spy agency ISI while in
Iraq Iraq,; ku, عێراق, translit=Êraq officially the Republic of Iraq, '; ku, کۆماری عێراق, translit=Komarî Êraq is a country in Western Asia. It is bordered by Turkey to the north, Iran to the east, the Persian Gulf and K ...
. Disappointed his missions always feature violence, Tiger is next deployed by his boss, Shenoy, on a mission in
Dublin Dublin (; , or ) is the capital and largest city of Ireland. On a bay at the mouth of the River Liffey, it is in the province of Leinster, bordered on the south by the Dublin Mountains, a part of the Wicklow Mountains range. At the 2016 c ...
to observe Anwar Kidwai. Kidwai is a science professor of Indian origin who teaches at
Trinity College Trinity College may refer to: Australia * Trinity Anglican College, an Anglican coeducational primary and secondary school in , New South Wales * Trinity Catholic College, Auburn, a coeducational school in the inner-western suburbs of Sydney, New ...
and is suspected of undertaking novel nuclear weapons research, which RAW wish to gain before Pakistan. Tiger's handler, Gopi, accompanies him on this mission. Tiger poses as Manish Chandra, a non-fiction author writing a book on Kidwai and other Indian academics. To gain access to his house, Tiger befriends Kidwai's caretaker, a British-Indian Trinity College dance student named Zoya. Over time, Tiger and Zoya fall in love, and she invites him to "My Son, Pinocchio", a college play sponsored by Kidwai and choreographed by Zoya. A few days later, Tiger is attacked by a mystery assailant, with him and Gopi fearing their identities have been compromised. After seeing the assailant on the day of the play, Tiger chases him through Dublin, which leads to Tiger publicly preventing a
Luas Luas (pronounced ; Irish for "speed") is a tram/ light rail system in Dublin, Ireland. There are two main lines: the Green Line, which began operating on 30 June 2004, and the Red Line which opened on 26 September 2004. Since then, both li ...
train crash. During the play, Gopi calls Tiger to inform him of activity at Kidwai's house; there, Tiger discovers Zoya is an ISI agent tasked on the same mission as him, extracting Kidwai's research from his computer. She refuses to commit treason and rejects his request for her to hand over the research. Tiger lets her go after combating an attack by Feroz, an ISI agent, who is revealed to be Tiger's mystery assailant. Back in India, Tiger asks to be removed from field duty, instead completing analysis work with his colleague, Bagga. Bagga informs him of an intercepted Pakistani secret message, which was planted by Zoya for Tiger, informing him of her planned arrival at an upcoming UN meeting in
Istanbul ) , postal_code_type = Postal code , postal_code = 34000 to 34990 , area_code = +90 212 (European side) +90 216 (Asian side) , registration_plate = 34 , blank_name_sec2 = GeoTLD , blank_i ...
. In Istanbul, Tiger and Zoya meet and they decide to elope; after misleading their respective agencies to
Nur-Sultan Astana, previously known as Akmolinsk, Tselinograd, Akmola, and most recently Nur-Sultan, is the capital city of Kazakhstan. The city lies on the banks of the Ishim River in the north-central part of Kazakhstan, within the Akmola Region, tho ...
, Tiger and Zoya travel to
Havana Havana (; Spanish: ''La Habana'' ) is the capital and largest city of Cuba. The heart of the La Habana Province, Havana is the country's main port and commercial center.
. Some time later, Tiger and Zoya are tracked down when they foil a mugging attempt, with
video surveillance Closed-circuit television (CCTV), also known as video surveillance, is the use of video cameras to transmit a signal to a specific place, on a limited set of monitors. It differs from broadcast television in that the signal is not openly tr ...
reaching RAW and ISI. Being spotted at an amateur boxing match, the couple make plans to and attempt to flee law enforcement and leave Havana, but Zoya is arrested by the Cuban police and handed over to the ISI to be
extradite Extradition is an action wherein one jurisdiction delivers a person accused or convicted of committing a crime in another jurisdiction, over to the other's law enforcement. It is a cooperative law enforcement procedure between the two jurisdic ...
d to Pakistan. Tiger then meets Gopi, stating Zoya will cooperate with RAW in exchange for her escape. Tiger and Gopi lead a team to intercept Zoya's prisoner transport convoy, but Tiger and Zoya flee Cuba in a
light aircraft A light aircraft is an aircraft that has a maximum gross takeoff weight of or less.Crane, Dale: ''Dictionary of Aeronautical Terms, third edition'', page 308. Aviation Supplies & Academics, 1997. Light aircraft are used as utility aircraft co ...
they had stationed in a nearby field after he is non-fatally shot by Gopi. Some time later, Tiger calls Shenoy and informs him he and Zoya will return to their home countries when Pakistan and India no longer need the ISI and RAW. In the
epilogue An epilogue or epilog (from Greek ἐπίλογος ''epílogos'', "conclusion" from ἐπί ''epi'', "in addition" and λόγος ''logos'', "word") is a piece of writing at the end of a work of literature, usually used to bring closure to the w ...
, several sightings of Tiger and Zoya are reported in
Venice Venice ( ; it, Venezia ; vec, Venesia or ) is a city in northeastern Italy and the capital of the Veneto region. It is built on a group of 118 small islands that are separated by canals and linked by over 400 bridges. The isla ...
,
Cape Town Cape Town ( af, Kaapstad; , xh, iKapa) is one of South Africa's three capital cities, serving as the seat of the Parliament of South Africa. It is the legislative capital of the country, the oldest city in the country, and the second largest ...
, Zurich, and
London London is the capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary dow ...
.


Cast

*
Salman Khan Abdul Rashid Salim Salman Khan (; 27 December 1965) is an Indian actor, film producer, and television personality who works in Hindi films. In a film career spanning over thirty years, Khan has received numerous awards, including two Nation ...
as Avinash "Tiger" Singh Rathore
A
RAW Raw is an adjective usually describing: * Raw materials, basic materials from which products are manufactured or made * Raw food, uncooked food Raw or RAW may also refer to: Computing and electronics * .RAW, a proprietary mass spectrometry dat ...
agent who goes undercover under the alias Manish Chandra to spy on Anwar Kidwai. *
Katrina Kaif Katrina Kaif (; born Katrina Turquotte; 16 July 1983) is a British actress who works in Hindi-language films. One of the highest-paid actresses in India, she has received accolades, including four Screen Awards and four Zee Cine Awards, in a ...
as Zoya "Zee" Humaimi
An ISI agent who goes undercover to counteract the efforts of Tiger. *
Ranvir Shorey Ranvir Shorey is an Indian actor and former VJ who works in Hindi films and television. Since making his debut in '' Ek Chhotisi Love Story'' (2002), he has starred in a number of high-profile films such as '' Jism'' (2003) and '' Lakshya'' ( ...
as Gopi Arya
A RAW agent and Tiger's handler. *
Gavie Chahal Navdeepak Singh Chahal better known by his stage name Gavie Chahal, is an Indian actor who primarily works in Hindi and Punjabi cinema. Career Chahal won the title of Mr. Punjab in 2000. His first music video, "Jattan de putt saadh ho gaye" ...
as Abrar
A section captain of the ISI. *
Girish Karnad Girish Karnad (19 May 1938 – 10 June 2019) was an Indian actor, film director, Kannada writer, playwright and a Jnanpith awardee, who predominantly worked in South Indian cinema and Bollywood. His rise as a playwright in the 1960s marked the ...
as Shenoy
The chief of RAW, who deeply dislikes Pakistan. *
Roshan Seth Roshan Seth (born 2 April 1942) is a British-Indian actor, writer and theatre director who has worked in the United Kingdom, United States and India. He began his acting career in the early 1960s in the UK, but left acting the following decade ...
as Anwar Kidwai
An Indian scientist and university professor whose missile research is sought by RAW and the ISI. Additionally, Samar Jai Singh appears as Rabinder, a RAW agent who defects to the ISI. Rajender Sethi features as Bagga, a tech analyst for RAW and friend to both Tiger and Shenoy. Troi Ge Borde also features as Feroz, an ISI agent.


Production


Development

After Kabir Khan was announced as director to a then-untitled action film, he approached Shah Rukh Khan with a draft of the screenplay. Although interested, Khan could not star in the film due to scheduling conflicts with '' Don 2'' (2011) and ''
Jab Tak Hai Jaan ''Jab Tak Hai Jaan'' (), also simply known as ''JTHJ'', is a 2012 Indian Hindi-language romantic drama film directed by Yash Chopra and written and produced by his son Aditya Chopra under their banner Yash Raj Films. The film stars Shah Rukh ...
'' (2012). This allowed the film's screenplay, which had been completed in November 2010, to undergo changes well into shooting, including as late as February 2012. In May 2011, several reports confirmed
Salman Khan Abdul Rashid Salim Salman Khan (; 27 December 1965) is an Indian actor, film producer, and television personality who works in Hindi films. In a film career spanning over thirty years, Khan has received numerous awards, including two Nation ...
and
Katrina Kaif Katrina Kaif (; born Katrina Turquotte; 16 July 1983) is a British actress who works in Hindi-language films. One of the highest-paid actresses in India, she has received accolades, including four Screen Awards and four Zee Cine Awards, in a ...
would star in a film titled ''Ek Tha Tiger''. It would be Khan's first venture with
Yash Raj Films Yash Raj Films (YRF) is an Indian film production and distribution company founded by veteran filmmaker Yash Chopra in 1970. It mainly produces and distributes Hindi and Punjabi films. The company has grown to be one of the largest film studios ...
, and the pair's fourth film together, after ''
Maine Pyaar Kyun Kiya? ''Maine Pyaar Kyun Kiya?'' () is a romantic comedy directed by David Dhawan. It is the adaptation of the 1969 English film, '' Cactus Flower''. It stars Salman Khan, Sushmita Sen, Katrina Kaif and Sohail Khan, with Arshad Warsi, Beena Kak, Rajp ...
'' (2005), ''
Partner Partner, Partners, The Partner, or, The Partners may refer to: Books * ''The Partner'' (Grisham novel), by John Grisham, 1997 * ''The Partner'' (Jenaro Prieto novel), 1928 * ''The Partners'' (book), a 1983 book by James B. Stewart * ''Partner'' (m ...
'' (2007), and ''
Yuvvraaj ''Yuvvraaj'' () is a 2008 Indian drama film directed and produced by Subhash Ghai. The film stars Anil Kapoor, Salman Khan, Zayed Khan, Katrina Kaif and Boman Irani. ''Yuvvraaj'' is a musical story of a fragmented family of three brothers who t ...
'' (2008). In order to begin filming, Khan had to postpone the development of ''Sher Khan'', a yet unrealized project he began developing with his brother,
Sohail Khan ) Lambda Velorum (λ Velorum, abbreviated Lambda Vel, λ Vel), officially named Suhail , is a star in the southern constellation of Vela. With a mean apparent visual magnitude of 2.21, this is the third-brightest star in the constellati ...
. Khan was paid a reported to star in the film. Kaif, who only appeared in one action film prior to ''Ek Tha Tiger'' (2008's ''
Race Race, RACE or "The Race" may refer to: * Race (biology), an informal taxonomic classification within a species, generally within a sub-species * Race (human categorization), classification of humans into groups based on physical traits, and/or s ...
''), performed her own stunts. Kabir Khan wrote scenes specifically to include
Trinity College Trinity College may refer to: Australia * Trinity Anglican College, an Anglican coeducational primary and secondary school in , New South Wales * Trinity Catholic College, Auburn, a coeducational school in the inner-western suburbs of Sydney, New ...
, considering it "a character of repute"; he had previously visited the university in mid-1995 to interview then Irish President
Mary Robinson Mary Therese Winifred Robinson ( ga, Máire Mhic Róibín; ; born 21 May 1944) is an Irish politician who was the 7th president of Ireland, serving from December 1990 to September 1997, the first woman to hold this office. Prior to her electi ...
. According to Avtar Panesar, Vice President of International Operations at Yash Raj, all locations were ultimately motivated by the screenplay, stating "if it fits the script, if it works, we then make use of the country as a location". The rest of the cast was finalized over the following year;
Ranvir Shorey Ranvir Shorey is an Indian actor and former VJ who works in Hindi films and television. Since making his debut in '' Ek Chhotisi Love Story'' (2002), he has starred in a number of high-profile films such as '' Jism'' (2003) and '' Lakshya'' ( ...
signed on in April 2012, while the film marks the Bollywood debut of
Gavie Chahal Navdeepak Singh Chahal better known by his stage name Gavie Chahal, is an Indian actor who primarily works in Hindi and Punjabi cinema. Career Chahal won the title of Mr. Punjab in 2000. His first music video, "Jattan de putt saadh ho gaye" ...
, who previously appeared in Punjabi films. On May 3, 2012, a photography shoot was held with the cast. After release, the film was subject to a copyright dispute after writer Anand Panda lodged a police complaint, backed by the
Screenwriters Association The Screenwriters Association (formerly Film Writers' Association) is a labour union based in Mumbai, India. Members are authors, novelists, playwrights, and journalists who work in films, TV, and digital media. Members of SWA can register thei ...
, claiming the filmmakers stole his screenplay. Kabir Khan and
Aditya Chopra Aditya Chopra (; born 21 May 1971) is an Indian filmmaker, studio executive, producer and film distributor who mainly works in Indian cinema. Currently serving as the Chairman and Managing Director of Yash Raj Films, founded by his father Ya ...
were sent
first information report __NOTOC__ A first information report (FIR) is a document prepared by police organisations in Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asian countries including Myanmar, India, Bangladesh and Pakistan when they receive information about the commissio ...
s under charges of cheating, criminal breach of trust, and violation of the Copyright Act. Khan and Chopra subsequently filed an appeal to the Bombay High Court. In July 2012, a legal notice was served by the nephew of Ravindra Kaushik, a RAW agent known as Black Tiger, stating the film bears a striking resemblance to his uncle and his uncle's life.


Filming

The film's production contained a number of delays. Initial reports said
principal photography Principal photography is the phase of producing a film or television show in which the bulk of shooting takes place, as distinct from the phases of pre-production and post-production. Personnel Besides the main film personnel, such as a ...
would begin in July 2011, but a spokesperson for Yash Raj Films announced production had been delayed due to budgeting concerns. Filming began in August 2011 in
Dublin Dublin (; , or ) is the capital and largest city of Ireland. On a bay at the mouth of the River Liffey, it is in the province of Leinster, bordered on the south by the Dublin Mountains, a part of the Wicklow Mountains range. At the 2016 c ...
, but was postponed after Salman Khan underwent surgery for
trigeminal neuralgia Trigeminal neuralgia (TN or TGN), also called Fothergill disease, tic douloureux, or trifacial neuralgia is a long-term pain disorder that affects the trigeminal nerve, the nerve responsible for sensation in the face and motor functions such as ...
in the
United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territori ...
, and when some crew members in
Ireland Ireland ( ; ga, Éire ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe, north-western Europe. It is separated from Great Britain to its east by the North Channel (Grea ...
held a demonstration over filming conditions and a lack of payment. Filming resumed in September 2011 in
Turkey Turkey ( tr, Türkiye ), officially the Republic of Türkiye ( tr, Türkiye Cumhuriyeti, links=no ), is a transcontinental country located mainly on the Anatolian Peninsula in Western Asia, with a small portion on the Balkan Peninsula in ...
, in
Istanbul ) , postal_code_type = Postal code , postal_code = 34000 to 34990 , area_code = +90 212 (European side) +90 216 (Asian side) , registration_plate = 34 , blank_name_sec2 = GeoTLD , blank_i ...
and near the border with Syria and
Iraq Iraq,; ku, عێراق, translit=Êraq officially the Republic of Iraq, '; ku, کۆماری عێراق, translit=Komarî Êraq is a country in Western Asia. It is bordered by Turkey to the north, Iran to the east, the Persian Gulf and K ...
. There, the crew faced security concerns when they were mistaken for a hostile threat by
Turkish Land Forces The Turkish Land Forces ( tr, Türk Kara Kuvvetleri), or Turkish Army (Turkish: ), is the main branch of the Turkish Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. The army was formed on November 8, 1920, after the collapse of the ...
, and were required to lie down for ten minutes at gunpoint while the issue was being resolved. Production took place in Dublin between 10 September and 14 October 2011, with scenes between Khan and Shorey filmed on Temple Bar. According to Naoise Barry, the Irish Film Commissioner,
Screen Ireland Fís Éireann / Screen Ireland, formerly known as Bord Scannán na hÉireann / the Irish Film Board, is the Republic of Ireland's state development agency for the Irish film, television and animation industry. It provides funds for the developm ...
and
Tourism Ireland Tourism Ireland (Irish: ''Turasóireacht Éireann''; Ulster-Scots: ''Tourism Airlan'' or ''Reengin Airlann'') is the marketing body responsible for marketing the island of Ireland overseas. Tourism Ireland was established as one of "six areas o ...
collectively sought to attract Bollywood productions to the country since 2004, citing India as an emerging market for tourism in Ireland. According to Aman Agrawal, a production executive for Yash Raj, Dublin was chosen to "allow the film to be international and encourage people outside India to connect to Bollywood" while maintaining "appeal to Indian audiences who love to see new places".
Dublin City Council Dublin City Council ( ga, Comhairle Cathrach Bhaile Átha Cliath) is the authority responsible for local government in the city of Dublin in Ireland. As a city council, it is governed by the Local Government Act 2001. Until 2001, the council was ...
, Trinity College (which saw filming on campus for the first time in 20 years), and other agencies helped enable filming in the city by granting complimentary visas and allowing reduced costs with tax breaks. Production was halted altogether in early 2012 to account for script re-writes, abandoning production in
Hong Kong Hong Kong ( (US) or (UK); , ), officially the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China (abbr. Hong Kong SAR or HKSAR), is a city and special administrative region of China on the eastern Pearl River Delta i ...
in favor of an eventual crunch-schedule three-day period in
Delhi Delhi, officially the National Capital Territory (NCT) of Delhi, is a city and a union territory of India containing New Delhi, the capital of India. Straddling the Yamuna river, primarily its western or right bank, Delhi shares borders ...
. Filming ended in June 2012 in
Bangkok Bangkok, officially known in Thai as Krung Thep Maha Nakhon and colloquially as Krung Thep, is the capital and most populous city of Thailand. The city occupies in the Chao Phraya River delta in central Thailand and has an estimated populati ...
,
Thailand Thailand ( ), historically known as Siam () and officially the Kingdom of Thailand, is a country in Southeast Asia, located at the centre of the Indochinese Peninsula, spanning , with a population of almost 70 million. The country is b ...
. Stunt directors for '' The Bourne Identity'' (2002) coordinated the film's action sequences, some of which were shot on location. Khan used a self-created fitness program titled 'Dirty Running' for 30 days to prepare for the role. Kaif completed her scenes without makeup. Filming also took place in
Havana Havana (; Spanish: ''La Habana'' ) is the capital and largest city of Cuba. The heart of the La Habana Province, Havana is the country's main port and commercial center.
, with the song "Lapaata" shot along the
Malecón A jetty is a structure that projects from land out into water. A jetty may serve as a breakwater, as a walkway, or both; or, in pairs, as a means of constricting a channel. The term derives from the French word ', "thrown", signifying somet ...
, the
Torreón de la Chorrera The Torreón de la Chorrera (Tower of la Chorrera), or to give it its full name, Fuerte de Santa Dorotea de la Luna de la Chorrera, was completed in May 1646. The tower stands on a coral islet only a few metres from the shore and not much larger th ...
, Plaza Vieja, and Havana Cathedral. The film was the first Bollywood film to shoot in
Cuba Cuba ( , ), officially the Republic of Cuba ( es, República de Cuba, links=no ), is an island country comprising the island of Cuba, as well as Isla de la Juventud and several minor archipelagos. Cuba is located where the northern Caribbea ...
. Khan also appeared in a commercial for both Cuban and Irish tourism companies. ''Ek Tha Tiger'' was shot on film by cinematographer Aseem Mishra using a collection of Arri cameras, including the
Arriflex 235 The Arriflex 235 is a lightweight 35mm MOS movie camera released in 2003 by ARRI. Function The number reflects its position as a smaller and lighter companion camera to the Arriflex 435 and the fact that it is designed for 35 mm film. In contr ...
,
Arriflex 435 The Arriflex 435 is a movie camera product line created by Arri in 1995 to replace the Arriflex 35III line. The number reflects its position as a successor camera to the Arri III and the fact that it is designed for 35 mm film. The 435 cameras ...
, and the
Arriflex 535 The Arriflex 535 is a movie camera product line created by Arri The Arri Group () is a German manufacturer of motion picture film equipment. Based in Munich, the company was founded in 1917. It produces professional motion picture cameras, l ...
, with Angenieux 24-290mm T2.8 and Zeiss Ultra Prime Lenses.


Music

The film's soundtrack was composed and produced by
Sohail Sen Sohail Sen (born 24 June 1984) is an Indian film composer, musician and singer who works in Bollywood. He debuted as a film composer with the Hindi film Sirf (film), ''Sirf'' (2008), which went majorly unnoticed. Later, he gained fame as a Hindi ...
, although the film's theme song "Mashallah" was produced by
Sajid–Wajid Sajid–Wajid was an Indian Bollywood Hindi film music director duo consisting of brothers Sajid Khan and Wajid Khan, the sons of Sharafat Ali Khan, a tabla player. Wajid Khan, the younger of the two brothers, died on June 1, 2020. Since th ...
. Reportedly, composer
A. R. Rahman Allah Rakha Rahman (; born A. S. Dileep Kumar; 6 January 1967) is an Indian music composer, record producer, singer and songwriter, popular for his works in Indian cinema; predominantly in Tamil and Hindi films, with occasional forays in int ...
was approached to do the music of the film, which he agreed to and later backed out citing time constraints. Recording for the soundtrack began in 2011. After Rahman quit the project, the soundtrack was due to be composed by
Pritam Pritam Chakraborty (born 14 June 1971), also known mononymously as Pritam, is an Indian composer, instrumentalist, guitarist, and singer. After working as an ad jingles composer, he debuted as a co-composer in the 2001 Hindi film Tere Liye. ...
, who was credited for the music on the film's first digital poster. However, he dropped out following scheduling conflicts with ''
Dhoom 3 ''Dhoom 3'' () is a 2013 Indian Hindi-language action thriller film written and directed by Vijay Krishna Acharya and produced by Aditya Chopra, who co-wrote the story. It stars Aamir Khan, Abhishek Bachchan, Katrina Kaif, Uday Chopra, Jack ...
'' (2013). As a result,
Julius Packiam Julius Packiam is an Indian film score composer. His has composed for Ek Tha Tiger, Tiger Zinda Hai, Baaghi (2016 film), Baaghi, Baaghi 2, Bajrangi Bhaijaan, Sultan (2016 film), Sultan and Bharat (film), Bharat. Filmography References Exte ...
composed the score and
Sohail Sen Sohail Sen (born 24 June 1984) is an Indian film composer, musician and singer who works in Bollywood. He debuted as a film composer with the Hindi film Sirf (film), ''Sirf'' (2008), which went majorly unnoticed. Later, he gained fame as a Hindi ...
composed all songs except "Mashallah". Packiam and Kabir Khan are frequent collaborators, having worked together on ''
Kabul Express ''Kabul Express'' is a 2006 Indian Hindi-language adventure film written and directed by documentary film maker Kabir Khan and produced by Aditya Chopra under Yash Raj Films was released on 15 December 2006. The film stars John Abraham, Arsha ...
'' (2006) and '' New York'' (2009).
Neelesh Misra Neelesh Misra (born 4 May 1973) is an Indian journalist, author, radio storyteller, scriptwriter and lyricist. He is most known for his radio show, Yaadon Ka IdiotBox with Neelesh Misra on BIG FM 92.7. He is co-founder-editor of Gaon Connecti ...
,
Anvita Dutt Anvita Dutt Guptan (born 20 February 1972) is an Indian dialogue writer, screenplay writer, story writer, lyricist and director of Bollywood films. Early life and background Her father worked with the Indian Air Force (IAF), thus she grew in s ...
and
Kausar Munir Kausar Munir is an Indian lyricist and screen writer in Bollywood. Biography Munir was born and brought up in Bandra, Mumbai. She graduated in English Literature from St. Xavier's College, Mumbai. Munir married actor Nirmal Pandey in 1997 bu ...
wrote the lyrics, and its remixes were produced by Joshilay. In late 2011, the song "Jaaniyan", recorded by Pakistani singer Bilawal Baloch, was leaked, and was reported to be included on the soundtrack. Yash Raj Films denied the song was to be on the soundtrack, and announced increased security measures to prevent leaks. The soundtrack was released by
YRF Music Yash Raj Films (YRF) is an Indian film production and distribution company founded by veteran filmmaker Yash Chopra in 1970. It mainly produces and distributes Hindi and Punjabi films. The company has grown to be one of the largest film studios ...
on 1 August 2012.


Track listing


Critical response

The soundtrack received unanimously positive reviews. Glamsham gave the album a 4 out of 5, saying, "''Ek Tha Tiger'' roars with multi-cultured international musical feel, a musician delight that primarily targets classy listeners. It atchesevery aura, genre and format". Indo-Asian News Service posting on
CNN-IBN CNN-News18 (originally CNN-IBN) is an Indian English-language news television channel founded by Raghav Bahl based in Noida, Uttar Pradesh, India. It is currently co-owned by Network18 Group and Warner Bros. Discovery. CNN provides internat ...
also rated the album a 4 out of 5, noting it "offers the listener the romantic and action of the
ilm Ilm or ILM may refer to: Acronyms * Identity Lifecycle Manager, a Microsoft Server Product * '' I Love Money,'' a TV show on VH1 * Independent Loading Mechanism, a mounting system for CPU sockets * Industrial Light & Magic, an American motion ...
with an entertaining array of sounds". Purva Desai of ''
The Times of India ''The Times of India'', also known by its abbreviation ''TOI'', is an Indian English-language daily newspaper and digital news media owned and managed by The Times Group. It is the third-largest newspaper in India by circulation and largest ...
'' and Devesh Sharma of '' Filmfare'' also gave the soundtrack a 4 out of 5, noting it as an improvement over the soundtracks of Salman Khan and Kabir Khan's previous films. They also praised the composers for their contemporary focus. Joginder Tuteja of ''
Bollywood Hungama Bollywood Hungama (lit. "Bollywood Madness" in Hindi), previously known as IndiaFM (or IndiaFM.com), is a Bollywood entertainment website, owned by Hungama Digital Media Entertainment, which acquired the website in 2000. The website provide ...
'' gave the album 3.5/5 and wrote " tis good, though one expected it to have gone all the way. othingputs you off, but the overall sound of the album remains more or less consistent".


Marketing

The film's poster was released in August 2011, and the first theatrical trailer was released in May 2012, debuting alongside the release of ''
Ishaqzaade ''Ishaqzaade'' () is a 2012 Indian Hindi-language romantic action film written and directed by Habib Faisal, and produced by Aditya Chopra under Yash Raj Films. The film stars debutant Arjun Kapoor and Parineeti Chopra in the lead roles, wit ...
'', another film produced by
Yash Raj Films Yash Raj Films (YRF) is an Indian film production and distribution company founded by veteran filmmaker Yash Chopra in 1970. It mainly produces and distributes Hindi and Punjabi films. The company has grown to be one of the largest film studios ...
and
Aditya Chopra Aditya Chopra (; born 21 May 1971) is an Indian filmmaker, studio executive, producer and film distributor who mainly works in Indian cinema. Currently serving as the Chairman and Managing Director of Yash Raj Films, founded by his father Ya ...
. The trailer received over a million views on video sharing platform
YouTube YouTube is a global online video sharing and social media platform headquartered in San Bruno, California. It was launched on February 14, 2005, by Steve Chen, Chad Hurley, and Jawed Karim. It is owned by Google, and is the second mo ...
within two days of its release, making it the platform's most-viewed trailer for a Bollywood film at the time. As part of a publicity campaign for Trinity College, parts of the film and behind the scenes footage was shown in India, while interviews of South Asian students, university lecturers, and ''Ek Tha Tiger'' crew members were done. The cast embarked on a limited domestic promotional tour, conducting press conferences in
New Delhi New Delhi (, , ''Naī Dillī'') is the capital of India and a part of the National Capital Territory of Delhi (NCT). New Delhi is the seat of all three branches of the government of India, hosting the Rashtrapati Bhavan, Parliament Ho ...
, Ahmedabad, and
Lucknow Lucknow (, ) is the capital and the largest city of the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh and it is also the second largest urban agglomeration in Uttar Pradesh. Lucknow is the administrative headquarters of the eponymous district and division ...
. They also signed a promotional deal with soft drink company
Thums Up Thums Up is an Indian multinational brand of cola in India. It was introduced in 1977 to offset the withdrawal of The Coca-Cola Company from India. The brand was later bought by Coca-Cola who re-launched it in order to fight against Pepsi to c ...
, where Khan and Kaif appeared in commercials. The company also sponsored an expanded tour in mid-2012, with the cast also visiting
Mumbai Mumbai (, ; also known as Bombay — List of renamed Indian cities and states#Maharashtra, the official name until 1995) is the capital city of the Indian States and union territories of India, state of Maharashtra and the ''de facto'' fin ...
,
Hyderabad Hyderabad ( ; , ) is the capital and largest city of the Indian state of Telangana and the ''de jure'' capital of Andhra Pradesh. It occupies on the Deccan Plateau along the banks of the Musi River, in the northern part of Southern India ...
, Kanpur, Allahabad,
Agra Agra (, ) is a city on the banks of the Yamuna river in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh, about south-east of the national capital New Delhi and 330 km west of the state capital Lucknow. With a population of roughly 1.6 million, Agra i ...
,
Meerut Meerut (, IAST: ''Meraṭh'') is a city in Meerut district of the western part of the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. The city lies northeast of the national capital New Delhi, within the National Capital Region and west of the state capital ...
, and
Ghaziabad Ghaziabad () is a city in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh and a part of Delhi NCR. It is the administrative headquarters of Ghaziabad district and is the largest city in western Uttar Pradesh, with a population of 1,729,000. Ghaziabad Mun ...
. Six days after the film's release, Tourism Ireland’s Indian
Facebook Facebook is an online social media and social networking service owned by American company Meta Platforms. Founded in 2004 by Mark Zuckerberg with fellow Harvard College students and roommates Eduardo Saverin, Andrew McCollum, Dustin Mosk ...
page gained over 23,000 followers, up from 10,000 the previous week; over one year later, it accumulated around 90,000 followers. The Irish Central Statistics Office noted an increase in tourism from overseas after the film's release. In an interview, then-Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, Leo Varadkar, said ''Ek Tha Tiger'' "established a foundation" for future projects to be held in Ireland. A two-part
comic book A comic book, also called comicbook, comic magazine or (in the United Kingdom and Ireland) simply comic, is a publication that consists of comics art in the form of sequential juxtaposed panels that represent individual scenes. Panels are of ...
series based on the film was also released. Published by
Yomics Yomics World, or 'Yomics' is the comic book division of Yash Raj Films Studios, specializing in creating comic books predominantly based on Yash Raj Films movies and suitable for readers of all ages. These comics are available across the print and ...
, the series also features characters from '' Hum Tum'' (2004), which was also produced by Chopra and Yash Raj Films. Canonically, this sets the two films in one
shared universe A shared universe or shared world is a fictional universe from a set of creative works where more than one writer (or other artist) independently contributes a work that can stand alone but fits into the joint development of the storyline, chara ...
. The first comic book, ''Ek Tha Tiger: Mahasagar Ki Suraksha'' (), was published in July 2012. The second, ''Ek Tha Tiger: Web Mein Pakra Gaya!'' (), was released in November, to coincide with the film's release on home video. The series received mixed reviews, with praise for its design and criticism for its plot and pacing. The film's lead single and main
theme song Theme music is a musical composition that is often written specifically for radio programming, television shows, video games, or films and is usually played during the title sequence, opening credits, closing credits, and in some instances at ...
, "Mashallah", recorded by Wajid Ali and
Shreya Ghoshal Shreya Ghoshal (born 12 March 1984) is an Indian singer and television personality. One of the highest-paid and most well-established playback singers of Indian cinema, she has received four National Film Awards, four Kerala State Film Awards ...
, was released worldwide on 27 June 2012. The song's music was both composed and produced by Ali and his brother Sajid, while its lyrics were written by
Kausar Munir Kausar Munir is an Indian lyricist and screen writer in Bollywood. Biography Munir was born and brought up in Bandra, Mumbai. She graduated in English Literature from St. Xavier's College, Mumbai. Munir married actor Nirmal Pandey in 1997 bu ...
. The
filmi Filmi ("of films") music soundtracks are music produced for India's mainstream motion picture industry and written and performed for Indian cinema. In cinema, music directors make up the main body of composers; the songs are performed by playba ...
power ballad A sentimental ballad is an emotional style of music that often deals with romance (love), romantic and intimate relationships, and to a lesser extent, loneliness, death, war, drug abuse, politics and religion, usually in a poignant but solemn m ...
topped several music charts in
India India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...
throughout August and remained in the top 10 for a majority of the film's theatrical run.


Release


Theatrical

''Ek Tha Tiger'' was released worldwide on 15 August 2012; the date coincided with Indian Independence Day. The film was screened in 3300 domestic theaters, a record until broken by ''
Dabangg 2 ''Dabangg 2'' () is a 2012 Indian Hindi-language action comedy film co-produced with and directed by Arbaaz Khan in his directorial debut, who co-produced the film with Malaika Arora. Its story is set in Kanpur and written by Dilip Shukla. '' ...
'', which was screened in 3700 theaters later that year. ''Ek Tha Tiger'' was released in 550 screens internationally, although, it was not released in Pakistana major market for Bollywooddue to concerns over the portrayal of Pakistan in the film. This decision was upheld despite opposition from Kabir Khan, who stated the film does not promote anti-Pakistani sentiment. The film premiered in
Tokyo Tokyo (; ja, 東京, , ), officially the Tokyo Metropolis ( ja, 東京都, label=none, ), is the capital and List of cities in Japan, largest city of Japan. Formerly known as Edo, its metropolitan area () is the most populous in the world, ...
in July 2013, and was screened in 70 theaters in Japan, constituting the widest Japanese release for a Hindi-language Bollywood film. Approximately 60 percent of the film's opening weekend's gross had been collected from ticket pre-orders; ''Ek Tha Tiger'' was screened at Cineworld Dublin between 15 August and 3 September 2012 and was often sold out, while other theaters subsequently increased ticket prices. The film was screened at Trinity College in September 2012, with Kabir Khan discussing its production with film and drama students.


Home media

''Ek Tha Tiger'' was released on DVD by YRF Home Entertainment on 25 September 2012, and on Blu-ray, Blu-ray 3D, and Ultra HD Blu-ray on 9 October 2012. The digital and Blu-ray releases include behind-the-scenes featurettes, deleted scenes, and a blooper reel. The Blu-ray releases saw the home media introduction of
Dolby TrueHD Dolby TrueHD is a lossless, multi-channel audio codec developed by Dolby Laboratories for home video, used principally in Blu-ray Disc and compatible hardware. Dolby TrueHD, along with Dolby Digital Plus (E-AC-3) and Dolby AC-4, is one of the i ...
96k upsampling and Dolby Surround 7.1 sound. The physical releases in its first week of the sale were one of the top home media releases in India, according to The Numbers data. The Blu-ray version accounted for 79% of the sales, with 3% of total sales coming from the Ultra HD Blu-ray version.


Reception


Box office

Due to its unprecedented extensive release, combined with many theaters reporting the film's screenings carried over 80% occupancy during its run, ''Ek Tha Tiger'' grossed over in India, and in other territories, for a worldwide total of . The film had the biggest domestic opening day and opening weekend ever, grossing and , respectively. By its fifth day of release, ''Ek Tha Tiger'' had earned over in India, the quickest film to reach this landmark, and broke the previous record of a week held by '' Bodyguard'' (2011), which also starred
Salman Khan Abdul Rashid Salim Salman Khan (; 27 December 1965) is an Indian actor, film producer, and television personality who works in Hindi films. In a film career spanning over thirty years, Khan has received numerous awards, including two Nation ...
. It is also the highest-grossing Bollywood film of 2012, and became the second highest grossing Bollywood film of all time, after ''
3 Idiots ''3 Idiots'' (stylized as ''3 idiots'') is a 2009 Indian Hindi-language coming-of-age comedy-drama film written, edited and directed by Rajkumar Hirani, co-written by Abhijat Joshi and produced by Vidhu Vinod Chopra. Adapted loosely from Ch ...
'' (2009). Internationally, ''Ek Tha Tiger'' also performed strongly, despite being banned in
Pakistan Pakistan ( ur, ), officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan ( ur, , label=none), is a country in South Asia. It is the world's fifth-most populous country, with a population of almost 243 million people, and has the world's second-lar ...
. It grossed in overseas markets in its five days of release. Regionally, the film collected in
Australasia Australasia is a region that comprises Australia, New Zealand and some neighbouring islands in the Pacific Ocean. The term is used in a number of different contexts, including geopolitically, physiogeographically, philologically, and ecologi ...
, with an estimated grossed in Australia, and in
New Zealand New Zealand ( mi, Aotearoa ) is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and over 700 smaller islands. It is the sixth-largest island count ...
. Additionally, in the
United Arab Emirates The United Arab Emirates (UAE; ar, اَلْإِمَارَات الْعَرَبِيَة الْمُتَحِدَة ), or simply the Emirates ( ar, الِْإمَارَات ), is a country in Western Asia ( The Middle East). It is located at t ...
, a region with a large Pakistani and Indian emigrant population, the film grossed , a gross only exceeded by the North America, where ''Ek Tha Tiger'' grossed over . Another strong performing territory was the
United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the European mainland, continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...
, where the film collected over . Its combined overseas gross amounted to , making it one of the highest-grossing Bollywood films by international gross.


Critical response

The review aggregator website
Rotten Tomatoes Rotten Tomatoes is an American review-aggregation website for film and television. The company was launched in August 1998 by three undergraduate students at the University of California, Berkeley: Senh Duong, Patrick Y. Lee, and Stephen Wang ...
reported a 71% approval rating with an average score of 5.9/10, based on 14 reviews. The website's critical consensus reads, "Salman Khan dazzles in a rollicking but sometimes ropey romantic action thriller". It polled higher with audiences, indicating a generally favorable filmgoer response. In India, there was praise for the film's feminist themes, with Marjolaine Gout noting the film is "a roaring, visual, comic feast where the damsel in distress fights back", giving ''Ek Tha Tiger'' 3.5 out of 5 stars.
Anupama Chopra Anupama Chopra () is an Indian author, journalist, film critic and director of the MAMI Mumbai Film Festival. She is also the founder and editor of the digital platform Film Companion, which offers a curated look at cinema. She has written sev ...
of the ''
Hindustan Times ''Hindustan Times'' is an Indian English-language daily newspaper based in Delhi. It is the flagship publication of HT Media, an entity controlled by the KK Birla family, and is owned by Shobhana Bhartia. It was founded by Sunder Singh Ly ...
'' also commended the feminist themes, saying "it's such a pleasure to see a Hindi film heroine not ea damsel in distress", while also praising the film's action sequences, giving ''Ek Tha Tiger'' 3 out of 5 stars. Jahanavi Samant of ''
Mid-Day ''Mid-Day'' (stylised as mid-day) is a morning daily Indian compact newspaper owned by Jagran Prakashan Limited. Editions in various languages were published in Mumbai, Delhi, Bangalore and Pune. In 2011, the Delhi and Bangalore editions wer ...
'' gave the film the same rating and criticized its tone as being inconsistent, with "''Ek Tha Tiger'' eingunable to decide whether it is spy action or a love saga". Ronnie Scheib of ''
Variety Variety may refer to: Arts and entertainment Entertainment formats * Variety (radio) * Variety show, in theater and television Films * ''Variety'' (1925 film), a German silent film directed by Ewald Andre Dupont * ''Variety'' (1935 film), ...
'' gave a positive review, praising the performances of the leads and film's production aesthetic, noting "Kaif impresses in her action-heroine debut, while Salman Khan's thinking-on-his-feet immediacy adds depth to his usual macho muscle. Local audiences will no doubt derive a special thrill from the onscreen reunion of stars Khan and Kaif,
ith The Ith () is a ridge in Germany's Central Uplands which is up to 439 m high. It lies about 40 km southwest of Hanover and, at 22 kilometres, is the longest line of crags in North Germany. Geography Location The Ith is immediatel ...
Aseem Mishra's gorgeous location lensing". ''Ek Tha Tiger'' faced harsher reception from Raja Sen of ''
Rediff Rediff.com (stylized as ''rediff.com'') is an Indian news, information, entertainment and shopping web portal. It was founded in 1996. It is headquartered in Mumbai, with offices in Bangalore, New Delhi and New York City. , it had more than 300 e ...
'', who criticized the film's relative low stakes and pacing, noting " abirKhan scales down the ambition as he aims for a safe mainstream middle-ground in his ''Ek Tha Tiger'', a spy-thriller which takes a while to get boiling but eventually crackles along quite effectively". He scored the film 2.5 stars out of 5, with his score and reception echoed by
Rajeev Masand Rajeev Masand is an Indian film critic and journalist. He has worked for Noida based English language news channel CNN-Indian Broadcasting Network (CNN-IBN). He usually reviews Bollywood films and major Hollywood films released in India in his ...
of
CNN-IBN CNN-News18 (originally CNN-IBN) is an Indian English-language news television channel founded by Raghav Bahl based in Noida, Uttar Pradesh, India. It is currently co-owned by Network18 Group and Warner Bros. Discovery. CNN provides internat ...
, who wrote "despite flaws, ''Ek Tha Tiger'' is extremely far from unwatchable. Just don't go in with very high expectations". Rachel Saltz of ''
The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid d ...
'' praised the action scenes but also criticized the low stakes of the characters' romance, saying, "Tiger and Zoya regood kung fu street fighters, but unconvincing spies and cookie-cutter bland lovers. Their loyalty to each other is never in question and only tepidly tested". A similar critical reaction was noted by Josh Tuhin of '' Gulf News'' who blasted the cinematography, saying " tis outright bad, with the body doubles' faces visible during the action scenes", but praised Kaif and Khan's on-screen chemistry. Regarding the film's depiction of Ireland, Giovanna Rampazzo wrote that despite ''Ek Tha Tiger'' presenting political themes, it "carefully avoided representing any complexity or social issues n favourof a charming and cosmopolitan Irish capital, constructing a simplistic image of Ireland that requires a minimum of cross-cultural understanding or critical engagement ythe viewer". She concluded this was "in line with long-standing strategies supported by government agencies to create a marketable version of 'Irishness' utmay promote unrealistic cognitive associations and expectations about Irish society". Overall, the country's presentation in the film was positively receieved by Irish audiences.


Accolades


Sequels


''Tiger Zinda Hai''

Kabir Khan was replaced by
Ali Abbas Zafar Ali Abbas Zafar is an Indian film director, producer and screenwriter. He is known for directing ''Mere Brother Ki Dulhan'' (2011), ''Gunday'' (2014), ''Sultan'' (2016), '' Tiger Zinda Hai'' (2017) and '' Bharat'' (2019). Personal life Zafa ...
as director, and the film's script was co-written by Zafar and
Neelesh Misra Neelesh Misra (born 4 May 1973) is an Indian journalist, author, radio storyteller, scriptwriter and lyricist. He is most known for his radio show, Yaadon Ka IdiotBox with Neelesh Misra on BIG FM 92.7. He is co-founder-editor of Gaon Connecti ...
. It released in India on December 22, 2017, and saw Salman Khan, Kaif, Chahal, and
Girish Karnad Girish Karnad (19 May 1938 – 10 June 2019) was an Indian actor, film director, Kannada writer, playwright and a Jnanpith awardee, who predominantly worked in South Indian cinema and Bollywood. His rise as a playwright in the 1960s marked the ...
returning, with ''Tiger Zinda Hai'' being Karnad's final Bollywood film before his death.


''Tiger 3''

A third film under the
working title A working title, which may be abbreviated and styled in trade publications after a putative title as (wt), also called a production title or a tentative title, is the temporary title of a product or project used during its development, usually ...
''Tiger 3'' was announced in June 2018.


See also

* Ravindra Kaushik


References


External links

* * * * {{YRF Spy Universe 2010s Hindi-language films Films scored by Sohail Sen Films scored by Sajid–Wajid Indian spy thriller films 2010s spy thriller films 2012 films Indian action thriller films 2012 action thriller films India–Pakistan relations in popular culture Films shot in Delhi Films set in Delhi Films set in Dublin (city) Indian chase films 2010s chase films Yash Raj Films films Indian action adventure films 2010s action adventure films Films about the Research and Analysis Wing Films shot in Istanbul Films shot in Cuba Films shot in the Republic of Ireland Girls with guns films Film censorship in Pakistan Film controversies in Pakistan Censored films Films directed by Kabir Khan Films shot in Havana Films set in Cuba Films set in Havana Films adapted into comics