It was meant to be the ultimate big-screen face-off with two of Hindi cinema’s biggest stars sharing the frame in a high-octane spy thriller. But for now, the much-talked-about Tiger vs Pathaan appears
to have hit pause. According to reports, the ambitious crossover bringing together Salman Khan and Shah Rukh Khan has been put on hold due to financial concerns.
As per a report by Deccan Chronicle, the project, backed by Yash Raj Films and envisioned as a major chapter in its expanding Spy Universe, has been stalled even before entering production. Budgetary pressures, particularly the remuneration of the two leading stars, are said to be at the centre of the issue.
A source was quoted as saying, “If both the Khans had agreed to take a discount, Tiger Versus Pathaan could have been possible despite Yash Raj’s ‘War 2’ flopping. But the budgets being what they are, thanks mainly to star fees, the Spy Universe seems to have come up against a wall.”
The crossover was reportedly conceptualised after the blockbuster success of Pathaan, which revived theatrical momentum for Hindi cinema and sparked excitement about a larger shared universe featuring Salman’s Tiger and Shah Rukh’s Pathaan. Producer Aditya Chopra was said to be keen on mounting the film on a grand scale. However, mounting costs including extensive action sequences typical of the franchise significantly inflated the projected budget.
The publication stated that the studio would have to pay approximately Rs 100 crore each to Salman Khan and Shah Rukh Khan, making the overall financial outlay difficult to justify under current market conditions. Rising production expenses across the industry have further complicated matters.
While the shelving is being described as temporary rather than permanent, neither Yash Raj Films nor the actors have issued an official statement confirming the development.
The reported delay has triggered strong reactions online. One user wrote, “Even small stars are demanding 50 crores if a film earns 400 crores in the box office. These two legend stars will expect good pay. What’s wrong? (sic)”
Another commented on the broader industry climate, saying, “Wow two biggest stars in Bollywood no production house wants to invest more than 350cr max that’s the true reality… all the larger than life movies all be produced in SOUTH (sic)”.
Some reactions focused on creative direction. A user noted, “If yrf had sincerely focused on making yrf spy universe properly with director who have credentials, script , & vfx as the top priority not only focused on cash grabbing star power of actor to cash on commercial aspect only yrf spy universe could have been the trend setter (sic).”
Others expressed disappointment at the possibility of the collaboration not materialising. “That’s heartbreaking Tiger vs Pathaan was literally the biggest face-off Bollywood could offer. Seeing SRK × Salman together again would’ve been historic. Hope this isn’t the final word (sic)”, read another post.
For now, the future of Tiger vs Pathaan remains uncertain. Industry observers note that large-scale projects are often revisited when financial and scheduling factors align more favourably. Until then, the much-anticipated cinematic showdown between the two Khans will remain on hold.
