Breaking Boundaries: The YRF Spy Universe’s Journey from Ek Tha Tiger to Tiger 3
The YRF Spy Universe is one of Bollywood’s most ambitious and successful cinematic franchises, created by Yash Raj Films under Aditya Chopra. Launched with Ek Tha Tiger (2012), the franchise has grown into a multi-film saga that brings together India’s biggest stars—Salman Khan, Shah Rukh Khan, Hrithik Roshan, and Katrina Kaif—in high-octane espionage thrillers. With films like Ek Tha Tiger, Tiger Zinda Hai, War, Pathaan, and Tiger 3, it has become a cultural phenomenon, ushering Bollywood into the era of franchise-driven cinema and establishing a new milestone in India’s global cinematic presence
##Let’s take a look at the worldwide box office collection
##Ek Tha Tiger (2012)
Directed by Kabir Khan, produced by Aditya Chopra under Yash Raj Films, starring Salman Khan and Katrina Kaif, with Ranvir Shorey in a supporting role. Music composed by Sohail Sen.. The film introduces Avinash Singh Rathore aka Tiger, a RAW officer sent on a mission to observe a scientist suspected of sharing defence technology with Pakistan. While undercover, Tiger meets Zoya, who has her own secrets. Their romance complicates the mission, blurring the line between duty and love. This movie marked the first collaboration between Salman Khan and Kabir Khan. It was Shot in Ireland, Cuba, Turkey, and India. With the opening day collection of ₹32.93 crore, weekend collection of ₹100.16 crore and total gross worldwide collection of ₹320 crore, the film emerged as the highest-grossing Bollywood film of 2012, and it is this success that laid the foundation for the YRF Spy Universe.
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Tiger Zinda Hai (2017)
Directed by Ali Abbas Zafar, produced by Aditya Chopra, starring Salman Khan, Katrina Kaif, and Sajjad Delafrooz. Music by Vishal–Shekhar with background score by Julius Packiam. Inspired by real events, Tiger and Zoya return for a high-stakes mission to rescue Indian and Pakistani nurses taken hostage by a terrorist group in Iraq. The mission demands unity between the two agents despite their personal past. The movie was based on the real-life 2014 ISIS hostage crisis in Iraq. While the Major action sequences were shot in Austria, Greece, Morocco, and Abu Dhabi, the star, Salman Khan, trained extensively in firearms and close combat, while Katrina Kaif performed many of her own stunts. The movie broke Bollywood’s highest opening weekend record at that time. With the opening day collection of ₹34.10 crore, week 1 collection of ₹ 206.04 crore and total gross worldwide collection of ₹ 558.00 crore,
Let's take a look at the history made by Tiger Zinda Hai at its box office collection
Tiger Zinda Hai became the second highest grosser in 2017 after Baahubali 2: The Conclusion and the highest grosser in 2017 Bollywood films.
It was the fourth highest Hindi movie (India Net Collection) after Baahubali 2 [₹ 510.99 Cr,] Dangal [₹ 387.31 Cr] and Sanju [₹ 342.57 Cr].
It was also Salman Khan's highest movie, and after that, Bajrangi Bhaijaan [₹ 320.34 Cr] comes in the second position. ##
War (2019)
Directed by Siddharth Anand, produced by Aditya Chopra, starring Hrithik Roshan, Tiger Shroff, and Vaani Kapoor. Music by Vishal–Shekhar with background score by Sanchit and Ankit Balhara.The story follows Kabir, a top RAW agent who goes rogue, leading his protégé Khalid to hunt him down. Their cat-and-mouse game spans continents, uncovering hidden motives and deeper conspiracies. The pairing of Hrithik Roshan vs. Tiger Shroff was one of the most anticipated action face-offs in Hindi cinema. It was the First Bollywood film shot in the Arctic Circle, specifically in Finland, also the bike chase sequence in Portugal and Spain was praised as one of the best filmed in Indian cinema. With the opening day collection of ₹ 53.35 crore, week 1 collection of ₹ 238.35 crore and total gross worldwide collection of ₹ 471.00 crore, it became the highest-grossing Indian film of 2019.
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Pathaan (2023)
Directed by Siddharth Anand, produced by Aditya Chopra, starring Shah Rukh Khan, Deepika Padukone, and John Abraham. Music by Vishal–Shekhar. Pathaan, an exiled RAW agent, is called back into action to stop a mercenary, Jim, from launching a biological attack on India. He teams up with ISI agent Rubina in a globe-trotting race against time, with explosive stunts and spy-universe cameos. The film was shot across eight countries, including Spain, the UAE, and France. This was the movie that marked Shah Rukh Khan’s return to the big screen after four years and featured Salman Khan’s extended cameo as Tiger. With the opening day collection of ₹ 57 crore, the week 1 collection of
₹ 364.15 crore and total gross worldwide collection of ₹ 1055 Cr crore, making it the highest-opening day worldwide for a Hindi film. It also set new benchmarks with the highest single day, opening weekend, and opening week for a Hindi release. Within just 17 days, Pathaan crossed the ₹900 crore worldwide mark, earning ₹558 crore in India alone—an unprecedented feat. Ultimately, it grossed over ₹1,050 crore globally, becoming the second-highest-grossing Indian film of 2023, the third-highest Indian film ever, and the highest-grossing Hindi film of its time. It was the first Hindi film to earn over US$100 million without releasing in China, and it broke multiple overseas records—
becoming the highest-grossing Hindi releases in markets like the US, UK, UAE, Australia, and New Zealand.
##Tiger 3 (2023)
Directed by Maneesh Sharma, produced by Aditya Chopra, starring Salman Khan, Katrina Kaif, and Emraan Hashmi. Music by Pritam. The story follows Tiger, framed as a traitor, as he races to clear his name and protect his family while facing a deadly adversary. The plot deepens the emotional stakes for the character while advancing the YRF Spy Universe storyline. Tiger 3 became the first film in the Tiger franchise to be released in IMAX, adding to its grandeur. Released during Diwali 2023, it emerged as one of the year’s biggest festive blockbusters. The production spanned exotic locations in Turkey, Austria, and India. A major highlight was the highly anticipated crossover sequence featuring Shah Rukh Khan’s Pathaan, which generated massive buzz among fans even before the release. With the opening day collection of ₹44.5 crore, week 1 collection of ₹187.65 crore and total gross worldwide collection of ₹464 crore, it continued the interconnected narrative, setting the stage for War 2 and future spy crossovers.
##From the romance-laced espionage of Ek Tha Tiger to the spectacle-heavy, interconnected narratives of Pathaan and Tiger 3, the YRF Spy Universe has matured into a consistent box office juggernaut. The latest instalment, War 2, starring Hrithik and Jr. NTR, has been released. Even though the movie hasn't performed as expected, it is another major entry in the growing Spy Universe. With Alpha, Pathan 2, and a possible Tiger vs Pathaan in the pipeline, this franchise isn't just about big stars—it's about building India's first sustained cinematic universe with global action sensibilities. ##
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