'Partner' to 'Bharat': Revisiting Salman-Katrina's Collaborations Before 'Tiger 3'
Maneesh Sharma's Tiger 3, which will premiere all guns blazing on Sunday, is on cinephiles' list for a gamut of reasons. It is the fifth film in YRF's Spy Universe, features cameos by Shah Rukh Khan and Hrithik Roshan, and above all, it marks Salman Khan and Katrina Kaif's seventh collaboration. Before Tiger 3, revisit the previous projects of these longtime colleagues—Khan and Kaif.
'Maine Pyaar Kyun Kiya?' (2005)
Trust Khan to borrow the title of one of his biggest hits (Maine Pyaar Kiya) and remold it so it becomes a different project in a diametrically opposite genre. Maine Pyaar Kyun Kiya? directed by David Dhawan and co-starring Sohail Khan, Arshad Warsi, and Sushmita Sen, was Khan-Kaif's first film together. It is also memorable for its soundtrack—with Just Chill becoming a generational hit.
'Partner' (2007)
Are you humming Partner's title track already? Can't blame you; it is extremely catchy. Khan and Kaif's second collaboration, this comedy film also featured Govinda, Lara Dutta, Tiku Talsania, Dalip Tahil, and Razak Khan. Another Dhawan directorial, the film was reportedly inspired by the American film Hitch, starring Will Smith and Eva Mendes. Partner is streaming on ZEE5, Amazon Prime Video, and JioCinema.
'Yuvvraaj' (2008)
After two consecutive successful outings through Maine Pyaar Kyun Kiya? and Partner, Khan and Katrina's jodi suffered a setback in the form of the romance musical Yuvvraaj. Directed by Subhash Ghai, it featured an ensemble comprising Anil Kapoor, Zayed Khan, Boman Irani, and Mithun Chakraborty. Despite being a commercial failure, it earned plaudits for its soundtrack, composed by AR Rahman.
'Ek Tha Tiger' (2012)
After Yuvvraaj's debacle, Khan and Kaif went their own paths briefly, not working on any movie together until Kabir Khan's Ek Tha Tiger came along. The one that started it all, the action thriller laid the basis for what is now known as the YRF Spy Universe. It starred Khan as Avinash "Tiger" Singh Rathore and Kaif as Zoya "Zee" Humaimi.
'Tiger Zinda Hai' (2017)
Tiger Zinda Hai, a direct sequel to Ek Tha Tiger, was helmed by Ali Abbas Zafar and also featured Paresh Rawal, Girish Karnad, Angad Bedi, and Kumud Mishra. Picking up the story from where it left off in Ek Tha Tiger, the action-heavy film features Zoya and Tiger amid a dangerous mission in Iraq. Need some revision? Watch it on Amazon Prime Video.
'Bharat' (2019)
Zafar's Bharat is a true-blue Bollywood entertainer and did the unusual by presenting both of its lead actors in aged roles. A story of love, familial love, harmony, and the need for peace between India and Pakistan, it jumps between timelines and is the coming-of-age story of Bharat (Khan). A critical and commercial success, it can be watched on Prime Video.
