Kabir Khan reflects on 13 years of Ek Tha Tiger, calls it the ‘first heartbeat’ of YRF Spyverse

Summary:

• Kabir Khan celebrated 13 years of Ek Tha Tiger, sharing BTS photos and reflecting on his first collaboration with Salman Khan.

• He highlighted how the 2012 film’s success sparked YRF’s ambitious Spyverse, blending romance, action and scale in Hindi cinema.

• The film’s legacy includes sequels and crossovers with War, Pathaan, and War 2, creating India’s first interconnected spy franchise.

In remembrance of his 2012 smash hit Ek Tha Tiger, Kabir Khan revisits his initial collaboration with Salman Khan. The film was released 13 years ago today. On the occasion, the filmmaker took to social media to share some behind-the-scenes images from the film and wrote a reflective message about how the spy thriller set the stage for the YRF Spyverse.

Salman Khan-Katrina Kaif spy romance that became a box-office smash

Ek Tha Tiger was Salman Khan and Katrina Kaif's 2012 film about a romantic comeback on the job for agents Tiger (RAW) and Zoya (ISI), respectively. The film was released on August 15, 2012. The production house enjoyed enormous financial success because of the film's romantic core and action-packed journeys around the world. Kabir made a point in his statement on how the film's impact extended beyond its financial success.

In his writing, he stated: "Tiger… Tiger… Tiger… Thirteen years ago, Ek Tha Tiger, with the megastars Salman Khan and Katrina Kaif, roared into cinemas with the biggest opening in Indian cinema at that time, not just as a blockbuster romance-thriller, but as the spark that ignited what would become the now-famous YRF Spyverse."

Aditya Chopra’s vision that redefined Hindi cinema’s spy genre

At a time when the concept was still novel to Hindi cinema, Khan thanked producer Aditya Chopra for supporting it. He further wrote, "What began as the story of two spies caught between duty and love has, over the years, evolved into a sprawling cinematic universe, weaving together high-octane action, global intrigue, and deeply human emotions. 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, a statement that Indian storytelling could blend scale, style, and soul on an international canvas. And I’m so happy that I was able to deliver."

ALSO READ: Kabir Khan on working with Salman Khan in Ek Tha Tiger: 'There was a lot of tussle between us'

The filmmaker, whose works include Bajrangi Bhaijaan and others, noted that Ek Tha Tiger was unique due to the fact that the majority of its action scenes were shot using real-life techniques. He added, "What also makes Ek Tha Tiger unique is the fact that we were able to deliver that level of action without much VFX support. The realness shows. The Spyverse continues to thrill audiences. Ek Tha Tiger was the first heartbeat of a franchise that changed the rules of the game. It was also my first collaboration with Salman Khan – a collaboration that would go on to create films I will always be very proud of."

Ek Tha Tiger’s evolution into India’s first interconnected spy franchise

Ek Tha Tiger led to two more films, Ali Abbas Zafar's Tiger Zinda Hai (2017) and Maneesh Sharma's Tiger 3 (2023). These films, in turn, allowed for crossovers with other YRF spy characters in War (2019), Pathaan (2023), and the newly released War 2 (2025), further expanding the Spyverse.

FAQs:

Q. Is Ek Tha Tiger part of the YRF Spy Universe?

A: Yes, Ek Tha Tiger is the first film in Yash Raj Films’ Spy Universe, later followed by Tiger Zinda Hai, War, Pathaan, Tiger 3, and War 2.

Q. When was Ek Tha Tiger released in India?

A: The film was released on August 15, 2012, coinciding with India’s Independence Day.

Q. Who directed Ek Tha Tiger?

A: The movie was directed by Kabir Khan, known for films like Bajrangi Bhaijaan and 83.