mid-day exclusive photo: Salman Khan wrestles wolves in Tiger Zinda Hai

While Hollywood fans cheered for Leonardo Di Caprio as he tackled a bear in The Revenant (2015), Bollywood will have Salman Khan taking on a pack of blood-thirsty wolves in Tiger Zinda Hai. Director Ali Abbas Zafar says he wanted to choreograph an action sequence that would outshine Khan's previous on-screen action feats.

Salman Khan tackles a wolf in Tiger Zinda Hai

A source reveals that the process from the storyboard to the final shoot in the snow-capped mountains of Austria was an arduous task, given the dangers associated with the scene. "The international action crew took all precautionary measures to ensure the wolves are fully trained. The unit spent months planning the shoot," says the source, adding that action choreographer Tom Struthers spearheaded the sequence.

DiCaprio's iconic bear attack scene in The Revenant

Despite the dangers, the source adds, Khan was enthusiastic about filming the scene, believing that it would be one of the most memorable scenes of his career. Zafar says that the chase sequence comes at a crucial juncture in the spy thriller that is the sequel to Ek Tha Tiger (2012). "Tiger's encounter with the wolves marks one of the most important chapters in the film. The idea was to do something which has never been seen on Indian screen," he says.

Catch up on all the latest entertainment news and gossip here.

Download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get updates on all the latest and trending stories on the go