The Rs. 50 crore film Ek Tha Tiger marks Kabir Khan’s third collaboration with Yash Raj Films after Kabul Express in 2006 and New York in 2009. The pre-production for Ek Tha Tiger started in the second half of 2010, after the script had been completed. The main photography commenced on September 2011 and ended in June 2012. The shooting for the movie however started on the 10th of August 2011 and it was shot in five different foreign locations, which include Turkey, Ireland and Iraq. The entire crew had to encounter an earthquake while in Turkey. Salman plays the character of the central protagonist ‘Tiger Boss’. This movie is being billed as one of the biggest movies of 2012 and with the Salman – Katrina pairing expectations have gone higher. Before turning to feature film, Kabir Khan was known as a fearless documentary filmmaker. In his 24-year-old Bollywood career, it is for the first time that he has teamed up with Yash Raj Films.

The story in this film was sacrificed and yet few seemed to bother because the Salman ‘Dabang’ Khan and Katrina ‘Chikni Chameli’ Kaif were found romancing on the screen. The story, written by Aditya Chopra revolves around Tiger - a rugged, handsome and mysterious bachelor, with a heady mixture of duty and romance. Salman plays the role of a Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) officer. He is sent on a safe mission to Dublin, Ireland, to observe an Indian origin scientist who is suspected of sharing his research findings with the Pakistan defence establishment. He attempts to meet the scientist but doesn’t succeed. He then befriends the scientist's part-time home caretaker, Zoya (Katrina).

In the company of Zoya, Tiger discovers that his being a RAW officer could not totally suppress his human side and for the first time in his life he falls in love. The rest is fighting and fighting with the dark world of intelligence. Love is the forbidden fruit in this paradise and the tumultuous journey follows. The 2009 release ‘Wanted’ was a turning point in Salman’s career and one after another hit raised the mercury of his popularity.

After 'Kabul Express' and 'New York', it’s his third film with Yash Raj Films. After three back-to-back hits, Salman Khan is at the peak of his career in Bollywood. The mercury of expectations is raising high. Going by Salman Khan’s score at the box office, this surely will be his biggest hit so far and this time Katrina Kaif will be alongside to add that extra factor to it. It is for the first time after their break-up that Salman and Katrina are paired opposite each other in a movie.

It was even reported that Salman Khan has been offered a whooping amount of Rs 32 crore for this movie. It is for the very first time in his career that Khan is in the lead of a movie being produced under the Yash Raj Films banner. Kabir Khan claims that everyone will get to see Katrina Kaif's acting potential in the film. Salman Khan is a legend in the film. Kabir Khan wrote the script with Salman in mind and there is nobody else who can play Tiger better than him. Salman will be seen with his ex-girlfriend Katrina Kaif after four years. The last film they did together was 'Yuvvraaj'. Many now feel that the couple will attract more and more footfalls to theatres.

There was a controversy regarding the release date of this movie. Reportedly this movie was supposed to be released on 1st June 2012 but on Aamir Khan's request, who wanted to release his movie ‘Talaash’ on the same day, Salman shifted the release date of his movie.