'Ek Tha Tiger' film poster
'Ek Tha Tiger' film poster

'Ek Tha Tiger's trailer, posters and promotions promised the audiences of one thing: A double-dose of spine-chilling action-packed spy thriller. And the film makers, indeed, have delivered their promise.

Director Kabir Khan must have thoroughly read the minds of movie buffs and kneaded the storyline accordingly, thus allowing fans to revel in actions sequences performed by their favourite actor. 

There is no scarcity for action sequences. Throughout the film, gun-rattling, glass breaking sounds emanate from the movie hall. There are some gravity-defying action sequences which make one just enjoy the extravaganza unfolding ahead, while ignoring calls from one's logical faculties.

The core subject of 'Ek Tha Tiger' is love. The movie begins with a short narration about a war between India and Pakistan intelligences agencies, RAW and ISI, and introduces Indian super-spy Salman Khan, who is affectionately called as Tiger, given his unquestionable strength in crushing his enemies' bones. 

Salman's mentor Shenoy played by Girish Karnad , sets him on a mission to spy Professor Anwar Jamal Kidwai, a cameo played by Roshan Seth, in Dublin. Kidwai, a famous nuclear expert, comes under the scanner after the intelligence wing suspects his possible links with Pakistani defence establishments.

Tiger, an unstoppable dynamic spy, eventually gets tamed by Zoya, played by Katrina. Zoya is an ISI agent who works as a caretaker at the professor's house and siphons off bundles of information about Kidwai's findings on nuclear technology. 

Oblivious to her true colour, Tiger falls in love with Zoya. The Indian spy continues to love her even after coming to know that she his Pakistani counterpart, proving the rule as it goes - love has no boundaries.

Though, love overflows between Tiger and Zoya, they both bury their personal emotions knowing that fate wouldn't let them live a life together. In a defiant move to their professional and classified lives, they both elope to Cuba, setting the intelligence agencies of two nations on a wild-goose chase.

The film would not come as a let down on the action front. Though the movie is of a love genre, the film maker has also kept the spy genre intact. Every now and then, Tiger will recall his life as a spy when he's chased off by dogs and men with guns, which stand in contradiction to his fibs that he often comes up with to safeguard the anonymity of his actual self. 

On a lighter note, Salman's witty lines draw some genuine laughs. Surprisingly, there are no significant punch lines like in his previous movies. Katrina appears as sexy as ever on screen. Although, her character has very little potential to show-case her acting skills, she leaves a mark with her jaw-dropping performances in fight scenes. 

Ranvir Shorey, who plays Gopi in the movie, has less screen time, but portrayed his character in a laudable way. Meanwhile, Girish Karnad has convincingly played the given role.  

Overall, the movie adds fun to the festive mood and is a treat for Salman fans. Word is that the movie will beat the actor's previous box office collection records. In other words, 'Ek Tha Tiger' is a complete paisa-vasool entertainer.

Director: Kabir Khan
Star cast: Salman Khan, Katrina Kaif, Girish Karnad, Ranvir Shorey