Ek Tha Tiger

Ek Tha Tiger
Theatrical release poster
Directed byKabir Khan
Written by
Story byAditya Chopra
Produced byAditya Chopra
Starring
CinematographyAseem Mishra
Edited byRameshwar S. Bhagat
Music bySongs:
Sohail Sen
Guest Composers:
Sajid–Wajid
Background Score:
Julius Packiam
Production
company
Distributed byYash Raj Films
Release date
  • 15 August 2012 (2012-08-15) (India)
Running time
132 minutes[1]
CountryIndia
LanguageHindi
Budget₹75 crore[2]
Box officeest. ₹320 crore[3]

Ek Tha Tiger (transl. There Was a Tiger) is a 2012 Indian Hindi-language action thriller film directed and co-written by Kabir Khan. Produced by Aditya Chopra under Yash Raj Films, it is the first installment in the YRF Spy Universe. It stars Salman Khan, Katrina Kaif, Ranvir Shorey, Roshan Seth, Girish Karnad, and Gavie Chahal.[4] In the film, RAW agent Tiger (Khan) is tasked with recovering information before it is gained by Pakistan, but is sidetracked after falling in love with Zoya (Kaif).

Ek Tha Tiger marks the third collaboration between Kabir Khan and Yash Raj Films, after he directed Kabul Express (2006) and New York (2009), and the first collaboration between Yash Raj Films and Salman Khan. The last film to be presented by founder and filmmaker Yash Chopra, it had a complicated production process, with delays, rewrites, and several cast members attached at various points.[5] Principal photography began in August 2011 and lasted until July 2012, with filming locations including Dublin, Havana, Bangkok, Istanbul, and Delhi. The film's music was composed primarily by Sohail Sen, with the soundtrack's lead single and the film's theme song, "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.[6]

Ek Tha Tiger received generally positive reviews from critics.[7] Ek Tha Tiger set numerous box-office records in its theatrical run, grossing ₹334.39 crore (US$62.58 million) worldwide. It was the highest-grossing Hindi film of 2012[8] unadjusted for inflation, and set the then-record for the highest-grossing domestic opening weekend, with ₹57.9 crore (US$10.84 million).[9] The film won Best Special Effects at the 14th IIFA Awards and won five People's Choice Awards, including Best Film, Best Actor for Khan, and Best Actress for Kaif. A sequel, Tiger Zinda Hai, was released on 22 December 2017,[10] and a third film, Tiger 3, was released on 12 November 2023.

  1. ^ "EK THA TIGER (12A) – BBFC". BBFC. Retrieved 26 August 2012.
  2. ^ "Ek Tha Tiger: It's Salman's show all the way". IBNLive.com. Archived from the original on 18 August 2012. Retrieved 16 August 2012.
  3. ^ "Bollywood's Top Worldwide Earners". Koimoi. Archived from the original on 27 March 2016. Retrieved 15 October 2014.
  4. ^ "Ek Tha Tiger". Bollywood Hungama. Retrieved 6 March 2012.
  5. ^ Harshikaa Udasi (4 August 2012). "Arts / Cinema : Spy Story". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 6 August 2012. Retrieved 9 August 2012.
  6. ^ "Ek Tha Tiger". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved 9 September 2012.
  7. ^ "Ek Tha Tiger Movie (2012) - Release Date, Cast, Trailer and Other Details". PINKVILLA. 16 September 2011. Retrieved 25 September 2023.
  8. ^ "Ek Tha Tiger Movie Reviews". ReviewGang.
  9. ^ "Ek Tha Tiger Collects 10 Crore in Week Three". Boxofficeindia.com. Archived from the original on 10 September 2012. Retrieved 7 September 2013.
  10. ^ "Exclusive: It's official! Katrina Kaif opposite Salman Khan in 'Tiger Zinda Hai'". DNA India. Retrieved 13 September 2016.