Explaining YRF Spy Universe: What To Expect From Salman Khan-Starrer 'Tiger 3'
'Tiger 3' is the fifth film in the YRF Spy Universe, and it is expected that the storyline of the movie will set the ball rolling for the entire franchise.

'Tiger 3' is one of the most-anticipated Indian movies of 2023, and the film, starring Salman Khan, Katrina Kaif and Emraan Hashmi, is expected to open to a good response in theatres when it releases on November 12, 2023 (Diwali). The advance booking for the film got underway on Sunday, and the new Hindi movie has already sold 3,63,842 tickets for the opening day in India. 'Tiger 3' is all set to collect the highest amount of money on a Diwali day.
'Tiger 3' is registering a thunderous response across India, and in Kashmir, the film is on the verge of being sold out for the Diwali Day. As per Pinkvilla, 'Tiger 3' has already sold 980 out of 1444 tickets at PVR Inox in Srinagar, with a high 68 per cent occupancy rate. So you can just imagine the euphoria surrounding the latest Salman Khan release.
The demand for 'Tiger 3' is such that there are early morning shows, and there would be shows starting as early as 6 AM in the morning. Recently, Salman Khan was asked about this show timing, and he said, "6 baje toh thik hai, but saat baje ke baad na flight pakdi jaati hai na films."
'Tiger 3' has a lot riding on it, as Salman Khan desperately needs a hit after a string of flops.
'Tiger 3' is the fifth film in the YRF Spy Universe, and it is expected that the storyline of the movie will set the ball rolling for the entire franchise. YRF has two more movies expected to come out -- 'War 2', and 'Tiger vs Pathaan'.
The latter will be featuring Shah Rukh Khan and Salman Khan. However, for the movies going ahead, it is important that 'Tiger 3' does well, and comes up with engaging content to keep the viewers hooked just like Marvel did in the first phase before rolling out 'Avengers Endgame'.
Ahead of the release of 'Tiger 3', we have decided to refresh your memory on how the YRF Spy Universe began, what are the movies in the franchise, and what all transpired. For the unversed, the YRF Spy Universe consists of movies such as 'Ek Tha Tiger', 'Tiger Zinda Hai', 'War', 'Pathaan', and now 'Tiger 3'.
Let's talk about the YRF Spy Universe and how it all began. Yash Raj Films (YRF) created YRF Spy Universe to engage the audience. The movies also serve as proper fan service to make the fans happy. This cinematic universe aims to bring together espionage, action, and drama, captivating audiences with its intriguing storylines and charismatic characters.
'Ek Tha Tiger'
The YRF Spy Universe began to take shape with the release of 'Ek Tha Tiger' in 2012, a high-octane spy thriller directed by Kabir Khan and starring Salman Khan and Katrina Kaif in leading roles. This film introduced audiences to Avinash Singh Rathore aka Tiger, who is an Indian spy, and the film set the ball rolling for the entire universe.
Talking about 'Ek Tha Tiger', the film was directed by Kabir Khan and co-written by Kabir Khan and Neelesh Misra. The story originated from YRF head Aditya Chopra. Apart from Salman Khan and Katrina Kaif, the film also stars Ranvir Shorey, Roshan Seth, Girish Karnad, and Gavie Chahal.
In the film, Avinash 'Tiger' Singh Rathore (Khan), an Indian spy, is given a task to recover information before it is gained by Pakistan, but the plan goes haywire after he ends up falling for Pakistan agent played by Katrina Kaif.
The film received mixed-to-positive reviews from critics. The Hindi film also set numerous box-office records in its theatrical run, grossing Rs 334.39 crore worldwide. 'Ek Tha Tiger' was the highest-grossing Hindi film of 2012.
'Tiger Zinda Hai'
The success of 'Ek Tha Tiger' then paved the way for its sequel, 'Tiger Zinda Hai' and it was released in 2017. The film was directed by Ali Abbas Zafar. The movie further explores the adventures of Tiger, played by Salman Khan, and his partner Zoya, played by Katrina Kaif, and in the film, the duo ends up facing international threats.
The events in the film take place after what transpired in 'Ek Tha Tiger'. The plot of this sequel revolves around the characters of Tiger and Zoya coming out of hiding to save nurses held hostage by a terrorist organisation called ISC in Iraq. The sequel faced a lot of delays after the writer and director of the first film Kabir Khan refused to return for a sequel.
It was then that Ali Abbas Zafar was subsequently hired as the director. For the unversed, the story of 'Tiger Zinda Hai' is inspired by the 2014 abduction of Indian nurses by ISIL. The film received positive reviews from critics and similarly, to its predecessor, the film set numerous box-office records during its theatrical run, grossing over Rs 570 crore worldwide. It also set the record for the highest opening weekend for a Hindi-language film at that time, with Rs 114 crore.
'War'
Following the success of the 'Tiger' series, YRF ventured into new territory with the film 'War', starring Hrithik Roshan, Tiger Shroff, and Vaani Kapoor. The film was directed by Siddharth Anand and the movie not only showcased intense action sequences but also emphasised the emotional depth of its characters, creating a narrative that resonated with the audience.
'War' is the third installment in the YRF Spy Universe. The plot of the movie follows Khalid Rahmani (Tiger Shroff), an Indian RAW agent and soldier, who is assigned to eliminate his former mentor Kabir Dhaliwal (Hrithik Roshan), who has gone rogue. The songs were composed by Vishal–Shekhar while Sanchit Balhara and Ankit Balhara composed the background score. 'Ghungroo' is still viewed as one of the best songs in the entire YRF Spy Universe.
'War' was theatrically released on October 2, 2019, coinciding with Gandhi Jayanti. The film received positive reviews from critics and to date, it is one of the best-reviewed Hindi action films of all time. Upon its release, the film broke all opening day and weekend box-office records for a Hindi film before it was surpassed by another YRF Spy Universe film.
'War' eventually emerged as a major success grossing more than Rs 300 crore in India, becoming the highest-grossing Indian film of 2019 and the 17th highest-grossing Indian film of all time.
Now it is important to mention that no one at the time knew that YRF was building a spy universe, and all the above-mentioned movies were being viewed as standalone films. However, it is with the next film that it becomes clear that the major production house is building an entire spy universe of their own, with many crossovers expected in the future slate of films.
'Pathaan'
It was on March 2, 2022, when Shah Rukh Khan confirmed that he would be starring in a spy film, backed by Yash Raj Films. The title of the film was announced as 'Pathaan', and the star cast also included Deepika Padukone and John Abraham. SRK also announced that the film would be releasing in theatres on January 25, 2023. For the unversed, 'Pathaan' was the comeback movie of SRK, after he took a break of more than four years. However, no one knew, whether SRK would be able to do justice to a role that requires a lot of action.
But boy, oh boy, did he knock it out of the park! Apart from SRK, Deepika, and John, 'Pathaan' also stars Dimple Kapadia and Ashutosh Rana in supporting roles. The plot of the movie revolves around Pathaan (Shah Rukh Khan), an exiled RAW agent, and how he ends up working with ISI agent Rubina Mohsin (Deepika Padukone) to take down Jim (John Abraham), a former RAW agent, who plans to attack India with a deadly virus.
The film received positive reviews from critics, who praised its screenplay, direction, and cast performances. 'Pathaan' went on to set several box office records for a Hindi film, including the highest opening day, highest single day, highest opening weekend, and highest opening week for a Hindi film in India.
It also emerged as the highest-grossing Hindi film of all time in India, and the record stood for more than eight months. Pathaan grossed Rs 1,050.30 crore worldwide, becoming the second highest-grossing Indian film of 2023. 'Pathaan' also featured a cameo by Salman Khan, where he reprised his role as 'Tiger', and he shows up in the movie at a crucial juncture, rescuing SRK's 'Pathaan'.
For the unversed, 'Pathaan' is the first time that brought two YRF spies together in a film, and it is at this point, that it becomes clear that a spy universe is being built. Salman and Shah Rukh Khan also shared a mid-credits scene, however, it has no relevance when it comes to the larger picture.
'Tiger 3'
Now the next movie in the YRF Spy Universe is 'Tiger 3', starring Salman Khan, Katrina Kaif, and Emraan Hashmi. The trailer of the new Hindi film and the trailer sees Salman Khan going up against a powerful nemesis in the form of Emraan Hashmi. It was during the end of the 'Tiger 3' trailer that Emraan's look was revealed.
In the clip, we can also see Katrina Kaif performing some high-octane action scenes as well. Shah Rukh Khan's 'Pathaan' and Hrithik Roshan's Kabir from 'War' are also slated to have a cameo in the film.
The runtime of 'Tiger 3' has also been extended, and there is a buzz that Hrithik Roshan will be featuring in the post-credits scene, setting up the plot for 'War 2' in motion.
“Aditya Chopra has set the wheels in motion for a full convergence of super spies within the YRF spy universe,” an industry source told Variety.
“No one knows this but along with Pathaan, Kabir too will make his appearance in ‘Tiger 3.’ A handful of people know how Adi is visualising Kabir in ‘Tiger 3’ and this information is being kept under wraps to be only revealed when it releases in theaters on November 12," the source added.
Future projects
After 'Tiger 3', there are two more movies in the YRF Spy Universe that will be coming out. One is 'War 2' and the other is ambitious 'Tiger vs Pathaan'.
'War 2' will be the sixth installment of the YRF Spy Universe and a sequel to 'War'. The film will be starring Hrithik Roshan and he will be reprising his role as Kabir. The film will be directed by Ayan Mukerji, as opposed to Siddharth Anand. The film also stars Jr NTR and Kiara Advani. For the unversed, 'War 2' will be the Hindi film debut of Jr NTR.
Talking about 'Tiger vs Pathaan', the film will star Salman and SRK. As of now, the movie is slated to be directed by 'Pathaan' filmmaker Siddharth Anand. As per several reports, the shooting of 'Tiger vs Pathaan' is slated to begin in March 2024.
It is safe to say that the YRF Spy Universe stands as a testament to Yash Raj Films' ability to create compelling narratives and unforgettable characters within the world of espionage and spies. With a perfect blend of action and drama, these films have managed to keep the audiences on their toes, and we cannot wait to see how the characters end up crossing paths with each other.
What’s next for the actors?
While we gear up to witness more of YRF Spy Universe with the amazing line up of films, Shah Rukh Khan is also set to come out with his third film of 2023 ‘Dunki’. SRK made a powerful comeback in 2023 with his first release of the year – ‘Pathaan’, after the debacle of his 2018 movie ‘Zero’.
‘Pathaan’, co-starring Deepika Padukone and John Abraham, made over Rs 500 crore in India. In September 2023, he came out with ‘Jawan’, which became the highest-grossing Hindi movie of all time. And now, he is all set to delight viewers with his next offering, ‘Dunki’, which marks his first collaboration with Rajkumar Hirani. ‘Dunki’ will release in theatres in December 2023, set to clash against Prabhas-starrer ‘Salaar’.
Meanwhile, Hrithik Roshan will start 2024 with a bang as he is coming out with ‘Fighter’, marking his first collaboration with the ever-so-stunning Deepika Padukone. The movie, which is releasing on January 25, 2024, will also star Anil Kapoor.
Talking about Salman Khan, he is reuniting with Karan Johar after almost 25 years for an epic action spectacle after previously working together on ‘Kuch Kuch Hota Hai’. As per a recent Pinkvilla report, the Bollywood megastar has come on board for director Vishnu Vardhan’s next film, which will be produced by Karan Johar under his banner Dharma Productions.
The makers are eyeing a Christmas 2024 release for the action film. Salman also has Sooraj Barjatya’s ‘Prem Ki Shaadi’ in his kitty.