Tiger franchise: Third instalment will not have Salman Khan?

Mumbai: Salman Khan sizzled on the silverscreen as Tiger in Kabir Khan’s 2012 blockbuster Ek Tha Tiger and Ali Abbas Zafar’s Tiger Zinda Hai in 2017. And if the latest buzz is anything go by then Salman may not be a part of the next Tiger instalment.

Disappointing no? But wait, this hasn’t been confirmed yet and fans of Salman can still be hopeful. According to a report in India.com, a prequel is being planned and the story will start where Ek Tha Tiger ended.

It will reportedly narrate the love story of Tiger and Zoya (played by Katrina Kaif). It will reportedly show how the two spies escaped to build a love nest by cutting all ties with their respective agencies.

However, there’s something else too that Ali has been contemplating. The third instalment may solely focus on Zoya’s character and narrate her side of the story. It may or may not have Salman even for a cameo appearance.

But given the fact that Salman and Ali have given not one but two back-to-back hits in the form of Sultan and Tiger Zinda Hai, it looks unlikely that the third instalment (if it is being planned) will not feature Salman. Moreover, it is Salman who has made the Tiger franchise a blockbuster series and hence the makers may not do a film without the superstar for sure.

Interestingly, Ali has teamed up with Salman for Bharat, a film produced by Atul Agnihotri. The film is expected to hit the silverscreen on Eid next year.