Ek Tha Tiger

In northern Iraq, Tiger pulls off a dangerous mission for RAW, ultimately confronting Rabinder who has defected to ISI. Rabinder reveals his treachery and calls for extraction as Tiger closes in; in a deadly confrontation, Tiger shoots Rabinder when he raises his weapon and Rabinder dies. Tiger escapes, leaving behind multiple dead ISI operatives and a trail of implications.

Tiger returns to India and reports to Shenoy in New Delhi. Shenoy notes Tiger's long service, salary untouched, and a loner lifestyle with no personal photographs or relationships. They discuss duty over personal life, foreshadowing Tiger's solitary path.

Tiger is dispatched to Dublin with Gopi to observe Professor Anwar Jamaal Kidwai, an Indian-origin scientist suspected of sharing findings with Pakistan. Tiger adopts the alias Manish Chandra and begins gathering evidence while blending into the academic scene. He trains his focus on Kidwai's anti-missile knowledge and searches for proof of illicit links.

While tracking Kidwai, Tiger meets Zoya, the caretaker studying at a local dance academy, and decides to befriend her to get closer to Kidwai. He starts spending time with her while maintaining his cover, discovering a more vulnerable, human side to himself. Their growing bond begins to blur his mission lines.

Tiger agrees to be Kidwai's constant companion for a few days, courting trust while trying to extract information. Zoya notices his unusual sincerity, and Tiger's feelings for her start interfering with his undercover work. The mission deepens as he shifts from observer to participant.

Zoya invites Tiger to the college play My Son, Pinocchio, which she choreographed, as part of Kidwai's world. An ISI agent attacks Tiger at his residence, intensifying the danger around his cover. Tiger narrowly fights back while the investigation into Kidwai's activities continues.

Tiger pursues the assailant through Dublin after the attack and even publicly prevents a Luas tram crash, drawing attention to himself. Gopi warns him against falling for Zoya, but Tiger persists in his fragile romance. The incident raises the stakes of his operation.

Back home at Kidwai's house, Tiger uncovers that Zoya is an ISI agent tasked with stealing the research. The revelation shatters their relationship as Tiger confronts the betrayal. He fights to secure the evidence while grappling with love and loyalty.

Tiger takes a desk job in India and reviews an intercepted Pakistani message. He deduces the message was planted by Zoya to signal her upcoming arrival at an Istanbul UN meeting. The revelation tests his trust and loyalty to his agency and to Zoya.

Some time later, Tiger and Zoya meet at a UN Foreign Ministers' Meet in Istanbul and decide to abandon their agencies by fleeing together to Brazil, telling their agencies they are in Kazakhstan. The lovers choose love over duty, complicating the political espionage landscape. Their defection plans set the stage for a high-stakes escape.

Years pass and intelligence devices trace Zoya and Tiger to Cuba, where ISI and RAW converge. Zoya is captured by Cuban police and handed over to the ISI, signaling a critical turning point in their escape attempt. Tiger and Gopi work to mount a rescue and turn the tables.

Tiger and Gopi form a plan to intercept Zoya's prisoner transport and mount a rescue. They manage to free Zoya, and Tiger escapes in a light aircraft with her, though he is non-fatally shot by Gopi during the process. The chase underscores the volatile balance between personal love and national security.

After the escape, Tiger informs Shenoy that he and Zoya will return home only when India and Pakistan no longer need their agencies. The pair live on the run, enduring the uncertain future while continuing to elude both RAW and ISI.

In the epilogue, sightings of Tiger and Zoya appear in Venice, Cape Town, Zurich, and London, suggesting they persist as a romantic but elusive pair. The final image leaves their fate open while the world remains unaware of their continued defiance of the agencies.