CAST: Salman Khan, Katrina Kaif, Emraan Hashmi, Shahrukh Khan, Riddhi Dogra, Vishal Jethwa, Revathy, Kumud Mishra, Ranvir Shorey, Anupriya Goenka, Danish Hasan

DIRECTOR: Maneesh Sharma

The plot of “Tiger 3” is a masterful blend of suspense, drama, and action. Following the journey of an undercover agent, the movie takes us through a whirlwind of international espionage and heart-pounding adventure. The narrative is tight and well-constructed, ensuring that viewers remain on the edge of their seats throughout.

This time around the antagonist is Aatish Rehman ( Emraan Hashmi), who is out of prison after planning the failed murder of the Indian Chief of Armed Forces in Vienna, 20 years ago. That attempt to murder was thwarted by Zoya Nazar( Katrina Kaif) with the help of Tiger ( Salman Khan) and this is how their story started.

As he is out of prison now, he must take revenge. He descends upon the peaceful life of Tiger, Zoya, and their son by threatening to kill their son unless Zoya and Tiger steal the nuclear codes of the Pakistani missiles that were purchased from China.

In a high-octane thrilling heist in Turkey, Zoya and Tiger are successful in acquiring the codes and saving their son. However, this is the start of their ordeal. Aatish tips off the cops about the theft and Tiger is arrested to be extradited and tried for espionage in Pakistan.  India disowns Tiger as their agent as he is set up for execution in Pakistan.

In comes Zoya and the RAW and ISI helpers. This is just in time for them to unravel the main plot for Aatish to powergrab the Prime Minister’s office in Pakistan by killing the PM in power ( Simran).

“Tiger 3” follows a familiar trope in action cinema – an undercover agent involved in international espionage. While the plot is engaging and filled with suspense, it can feel somewhat predictable for seasoned viewers of the genre. The film could have benefitted from more plot twists or deeper exploration of the characters’ backstories.

Salman Khan, as the lead, delivers a robust performance, but his character lacks depth in certain areas. The film focuses more on action sequences and less on character arcs, leaving little room for emotional depth or character evolution. The supporting characters, although they add to the story, are not fully fleshed out.

The action scenes are a major strength of the movie. They are well-choreographed and visually impressive. However, at times, the reliance on action overshadows the narrative, leading to a somewhat unbalanced feel between the story and the spectacle. Katrina gets a lot of action to perform compared to most leading ladies. She does a good job of performing the sequences but the editing is patchy leading the audience to feel the gaps in the kicks and summersaults. The cinematography is top-notch, capturing stunning locales and action scenes with a keen eye. The use of special effects is commendable, adding to the film’s visual appeal. However, in certain sequences, the dependence on visual effects over practical effects can detract from the realism.

Shahrukh’s Pathan is back as the Tiger helper and they have a fun sequence kicking greenscreen ass on the screen. Contrary to public opinion, Hrithik’s Kabir is not a part of this story but the teaser of the next installment of War is appended after the credits.

The direction is competent, with a good sense of pacing and scene composition. However, there are moments where tighter editing could have made the narrative more impactful, especially in linking the action sequences with the storyline more cohesively.

“Tiger 3” is a solid entry in the action genre and will likely be a hit among fans of Salman Khan and high-octane action films. However it is not a Mission Impossible, however hard it tries to fit into that genre.

In Theaters.