Salman, Katrina thank fans for showering love on 'Tiger 3'

Mumbai: "Tiger 3" stars Salman Khan and Katrina Kaif on Wednesday thanked fans for their enthusiastic response to their Diwali release, which has become a runaway success at the worldwide box office by earning Rs 240 crore in the first three days.

The Maneesh Sharma directorial, which released on Sunday, has so far collected Rs 180.50 crore (gross) in India and Rs 59.50 (gross) overseas, bringing the total box office collection of the film to Rs 240 crore gross, according to production house ‘Yash Raj Films’ (YRF).

The film's net collection in India stands at Rs 148.50 crore.

"I’m delighted with the response from audience and fans for 'Tiger 3'. They have given the film a brilliant start and I’m happy that the third part of this franchise is also scripting a success story. 'Tiger' is a franchise that is close to my heart. So, to see it get more and more love film after film is really special. I hope the film continues to entertain audiences worldwide," Salman said in a statement.

Katrina said it was amazing to see audiences from all corners of the country joyfully dancing in the theatres.

"The enthusiasm, cheers and whistles from the audience reflect the incredible time they are having at the cinemas during this festive season," she said in a statement.

"As someone dedicated to providing entertainment, this holds immense significance for me. I take great pride in 'Tiger 3' and I am elated that each film in this franchise has created enduring memories for the audience to cherish. This year has been phenomenal for Hindi cinema and I am thrilled that 'Tiger 3' is being enjoyed by audiences in the theatres," she added.

Also starring Emraan Hashmi, "Tiger 3" was released in Hindi, Tamil and Telugu.

According to the YRF, the film had the "biggest opening weekend" for the "Tiger" franchise as well as lead stars Salman and Katrina.

Set after the events of Shah Rukh Khan-starrer "Pathaan", "Tiger 3" sees Salman's titular spy race against time to save both his family and country.

Produced by Aditya Chopra and directed by Maneesh Sharma, "Tiger 3" is the fifth film in the ‘YRF Spy Universe’ following "Ek Tha Tiger", "Tiger Zinda Hai", "War" and "Pathaan".