MUMBAI: Filmmaker Kabir Khan says Salman Khan’s presence in “Ek Tha Tiger” will bring in the initial footfalls, but the film’s content and direction will sustain it thereafter.

“I feel the film has stamina to run for a very long time. I hope the film goes way beyond the opening which is dependent on Salman. After that it is me and the film that I have made. I feel it has the strength to go a long way,” said Kabir.

“Ek Tha Tiger”, releasing Aug 15, is his third directorial venture after “Kabul Express” and “New York”. The movie, in which Salman plays a spy, also features his former lady love Katrina Kaif, making it one of the much-awaited films of the year. The first look of the film was also widely appreciated. The buzz has led several multiplexes to cash in on its popularity by reportedly hiking ticket prices 10-15 percent.

But there’s little that the director can do. “That is not something that I can dictate to the multiplexes. They have said it is a standard practice they follow. When they feel a film is much-anticipated and is running during a holiday period or a festive period, they tend to mark up the price. Apparently, some time back (ticket) prices had been brought down, so the 15 percent mark up is just bringing it back to what it was three to four months back. So I don’t think it is pumped up as much as it was done for some films a couple of years back.”