Alia Bhatt’s Alpha has garnered mixed reviews since it was released, and is among the most talked‑about films in the YRF spy universe. With a female character in the lead of the film and Alia Bhatt and Sharvari Wagh at the center, it is the first female-led movie in the franchise. The duo is up against Bobby Deol’s antagonist and Anil Kapoor is also an added element of weight in a supporting role. Hrithik Roshan’s cameo as Kabir connects the film to War and wins over fans who are following the spy story.
On the positive side, Alia Bhatt’s performance has been hailed for her intensity and charisma and her ability to do everything in action cinema. Sharvari Wagh has emerged as a breakout star for her performance, and she is on par with Alia and she is able to really bring the audience into the movie. Bobby Deol’s villain is one of the most popular and is loved as a movie that is always an emotional actor. Hrithik Roshan’s cameo has also been hailed so much for bringing a feel to the Spy Universe that it’s exciting. Kuldeep Gadhvi wrote, “A stylish and ambitious thrilling blend of action, emotion, suspense and entertainment.”
Not all reviews have been so positive. Critics say that the film struggles with pacing especially in the first half and lacks originality compared to recent spy thrillers. Umair Sandhu went so far as to call Alia Bhatt a “miscast” and said the film is “below average action thriller.” Comparing with Aditya Dhar’s Dhurandhar, Alpha feels old-fashioned and not fresh to the genre.
The audience response has been widely divided. Advance booking for the film is strong, with more than 89,000 tickets sold and ₹3.06 crore earned before release day, so there is a high level of anticipation in the industry; fans are pleased with the female-driven narrative and the sleek action in particular but not so much.
Alpha has its strengths: performances, beautiful imagery and franchise tie-in. But it’s not as good as the others, in terms of pace and comparison to other spy thrillers, and not so much as very well received in general. The film is a landmark for YRF Spy Universe fans, but may not be as important for average viewers.
Alpha is a good and flawed movie. It does deliver great performances and thrilling action but it is not original. The film is still a major step forward for Bollywood and is the first female-led spy thriller in the franchise and the first of its kind as we will see much more buzz for it when it is released.
