Locations in Europe: Dublin, Ireland
Storyline
Director/Producer: Kabir Khan (Director); Aditya Chopra (Producer)
Line Producer/Executive Producer/Associate Producer: Mary McCarthy (Line Producer Ireland); Brendan McCarthy, John McDonnel and Ashish Singh (Executive Producers).
Star(s): Salman Khan, Katrina Kaif, Ranvir Shorey, Girish Karnad
Songs/Dance: One song “Banjara” was shot in Dublin
Indian/ International Crew: Collaboration with Art directors at the international destinations of the film.
Language: Hindi
Film Location Analysis
By Ranjani Mazumdar
Like all spy films, Ek Tha Tiger has global travel integrated into the narrative arc, with several locations used to propel the plot and the action sequences. The European part is set in Dublin, Ireland, and this is around 45 minutes of the film. Professor Anwar Jamal Kidwai teaches at Trinity College, so we see him first on a bicycle riding on campus. Tiger meets him there for the first time, but the professor has no time to see him. Tiger waits on a bench, eating a sandwich, and when the professor emerges from his university building, Tiger rides his bicycle to join him. The Trinity College campus is present in the background and all around. The professor brushes Tiger off, saying he has no time. Tiger follows him home, where the professor rushes to take his dog, Rocket, for a walk. Tiger walks into the professor’s house, thinking it is empty, but this is where he encounters Zoya for the first time. Her official status is that of a woman of Indian origin who grew up in London and now trains at a dance academy, working on the side with the professor.
Tiger waits outside the apartment after Zoya throws him out, and then the two meet later when Zoya is on her way home. They finally walk together with their bicycles, with Zoya offering to show him some hotels where he can stay the night. They pass by Dublin’s Central Hotel and Mercantile Hotel, both located in the city centre near cafés, pubs, and Trinity College. Tiger pretends there are no rooms available and finally ends up on a bench outside Zoya’s hostel. She lets him in, and the next morning they are at a breakfast place by the river. Zoya introduces Tiger to the Professor at his house on another day, and then the two can be seen strolling through the Trinity College campus. When Tiger suggests dinner, she agrees to meet him with friends at the Temple Bar, one of Dublin’s most well-known pubs. Tiger walks out of the pub for a phone chat with Gopi, and we get to see the red doors and the busy night street. The friends depart, and Zoya and Tiger end up at a South Asian restaurant. The romance narrative is being spatialized, with clear signs of the city revealed—cafés, bars, hotels, Trinity College, the river, etc.
After an attack on him, Tiger meets Gopi at a mall, and then Tiger is at the concert hall, where he dances to a musical score with Zoya, their romance taking a passionate leap. This moment transitions to the song "Banjara," which was shot on the grounds of Trinity College and became a high point of the production involving various officials of the university. Ek Tha Tiger became a promotional event for Trinity College that was captured in a video. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fpE2-AOAIEU). In an interview, Kabir Khan said, "After seeing Salman Khan and Katrina Kaif on the campus of Trinity College in Dublin, the institution has reported a substantial increase in the number of students from India seeking admission at Trinity College. I was blown away to hear this. So far, I have always thought that no matter where you shot the film and no matter how noble your intentions, a film at the end of the day is considered just entertainment. Though I have never made entertainment films per se, none of my earlier films had this kind of impact. I have discovered to my absolute delight that after the release of Ek Tha Tiger, tourists from India to Ireland have increased manifold." https://www.bollywoodhungama.com/news/bollywood/ek-tha-tiger-promotes-irish-tourism-trinity-college/)
The Banjara song ends with Tiger bumping into Gopi, then running after Zoya on a bicycle on Grafton Street, one of the busiest shopping streets in Dublin, to ask her for a dinner date at Central Park, where the two dreamily discuss the stars at night. We then see Gopi and Tiger drinking on a terrace that looks down at the Liffey River at night. Tiger confesses his love for Zoya and the complicated situation they are in.
The pace of the film changes dramatically the next day with a high-speed, energetic chase through Dublin’s busy streets, involving the Luas Tram, Temple Bar, the Liffey Bridge, and several other public spaces. The rapid-fire presentation of Tiger chasing an enemy agent, running through the streets, and climbing on to the tram roof was meant to showcase the actor's star power. It also introduces his style within the dense landscape of Dublin's streetscape. This kind of shooting with many people showcases the role of the police and municipal authorities in helping to orchestrate action during the day in the heart of the city. Soon after this, Tiger discovers Zoya is an ISI agent. This moment of discovery ends with him pointing a gun at her and shooting, though we know she has not been killed.
The build-up of the romance between an Indian and Pakistani agent is spread out across Dublin's many attractions. Ek Tha Tiger's Dublin section uses a lot of walking and cycling, following a leisurely pace that is disrupted only by the dramatic chase. The film managed to provide audiences with a portrait of the city that they had not seen on screen before, thanks to Trinity College and the city's thriving streetscape. Mr. Simon Gregory, Director of Markets, Tourism Ireland, said, "Bollywood is constantly on the lookout for exotic locations to shoot their movies. Ireland offers varied landscapes, and this has resulted in a lot of Indian production houses now exploring the option of filming in Ireland. In terms of production, it is lucrative, offering subsidies and benefits as well as providing great locations for both romantic and action films." He further added, "Bollywood has always been recognized as having a strong influence on potential Indian travellers. Tourism Ireland is confident that the film will help increase awareness of Ireland among Indian travellers, who are constantly looking out for new destinations to explore. With this in mind, we have invested substantially to promote the film and raise awareness of Ireland as a location for Bollywood films. Tourism Ireland has also worked closely with the Irish Film Board to attract and facilitate film-making in Ireland." (https://www.adgully.com/ek-tha-tiger-shot-in-the-exquisite-locales-of-ireland-51412.html).
Additional Information & Links
https://www.moneylife.in/article/ek-tha-tiger-pakistan-says-no-to-the-salman-katrina-film/27845.html
https://www.bollywoodhungama.com/news/bollywood/ek-tha-tiger-promotes-irish-tourism-trinity-college/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cp5XWEISJy8https://core.ac.uk/download/pdf/301304266.pdf
Tourism
Tourism to Ireland increased after the release of Ek Tha Tiger.
https://www.filmapia.com/where-is-it-shot/films/ek-tha-tiger
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fpE2-AOAIEU
http://archive.indianexpress.com/news/ireland-woos-bollywood-with-ek-tha-tiger/992152/
