'Ek Tha Tiger' anniversary: Kabir Khan celebrates 'first heartbeat...of Spyverse'
What's the story
Filmmaker Kabir Khan recently celebrated the 13th anniversary of his blockbuster film Ek Tha Tiger. The director took to Instagram to share behind-the-scenes photos from the sets and wrote a heartfelt note about the movie's impact on Indian cinema. He called it "the first heartbeat of a franchise that changed the rules of the game."
Tribute
'ETT' ignited the YRF Spyverse: Khan
Khan wrote, "Tiger... Tiger... Tiger... Thirteen years ago, Ek Tha Tiger with the megastars @beingsalmankhan and @katrinakaif roared into cinemas with the biggest opening in Indian cinema at that time." He added, "Not just as a blockbuster romance-thriller but as the spark that ignited what would become the now-famous YRF Spyverse." The film laid the groundwork for an expansive cinematic universe filled with action-packed sequences and global intrigue.
Acknowledgment
The director thanked producer Aditya Chopra
Khan expressed his gratitude to Yash Raj Films head Aditya Chopra for giving him a "massive platform" with Ek Tha Tiger. He said, "I will always be indebted to Aditya Chopra, who gave me a massive platform because he wanted Ek Tha Tiger to be a genre-defining leap for Hindi cinema." The director also highlighted the film's unique aspect of delivering high-octane action without relying heavily on VFX.
Box office
'Ek Tha Tiger' and the birth of a blockbuster franchise
Released in 2012, Ek Tha Tiger was one of the highest-grossing films of the year. The film, which starred Salman Khan and Katrina Kaif as spies from rival countries who fall in love with each other, is now streaming on Prime Video. It paved the way for the YRF Spy Universe that includes sequels like Tiger Zinda Hai (2017) and Tiger 3 (2023). The most recent part of this universe is War 2.
Future projects
Meanwhile, Salman is busy with 'Battle of Galwan'
Salman will next be seen in Battle of Galwan, a film based on the 2020 face-off between Indian and Chinese troops in the Galwan Valley. The film also stars Chitrangda Singh. Meanwhile, there are reports that the actor may collaborate with popular Telugu director Harish Shankar for a future project. However, no official announcement has been made yet.