Tiger returns to his cage

Katrina Kaif and Salman Khan

mid-day had previously reported that Salman Khan and Katrina Kaif were set to film crucial sequences of the third edition of the coveted Tiger franchise in New Delhi this month. But, with the capital being among the states under the scanner due to soaring cases, the makers, including director Maneesh Sharma, and producer Aditya Chopra were compelled to defer the leg.

A trade source says, "This is not the right time to plan big outdoor schedules. It's a well thought-out decision by Adi, Maneesh and the team. The portions in question will be shot at real locations. Since the Omicron threat is looming, the makers are choosing to be cautious. While [other] challenging schedules were completed through the pandemic, the team doesn't want to take any unnecessary risk [now]."

The January schedule was crucial for the team to complete the film, which rolled in March 2021. Whether or not it can meet its December 2022 date with viewers is yet to be ascertained. With the release of several films being deferred from the month of January, it is likely that all filmmakers will have to revisit their calendars when the situation improves. Over the past few weeks, Shahid Kapoor's Jersey, NT Rama Rao Jr and Alia Bhatt's RRR, and Prabhas's Radhe Shyam have been pushed.