Alia Bhatt and Sharvari’s Alpha released in theatres on Friday, but the much-anticipated spy thriller received a lukewarm response from audiences, with many viewers raising issues with its pacing, storyline and performances.
Alpha is the first female-led action film in the YRF Spy Universe. The franchise has previously delivered blockbusters such as Ek Tha Tiger, Tiger Zinda Hai, War and Pathaan, headlined by Salman Khan, Hrithik Roshan and Shah Rukh Khan, respectively.
However, the first-day reactions didn’t quite meet expectations.
One X user said that apart from Alia and Sharvari’s appearance, the entire plot felt ‘hollow’ with an ‘isolated’ vibe. “Alpha didn't work for me. It feels emotionally hollow. The story and its characters never give you a reason to care. Extremely isolated vibe. The film briefly comes alive whenever Alia and Sharvari share the frame. Perhaps that’s because women facing each other in a full-blooded action film is still uncommon in commercial cinema,” the post reads.
“#Alpha is a CRINGE FEST that puts the final nail in the coffin of the Spy Universe,” reads another post on X.
Actor Kamal R. Khan, meanwhile, alleged that Alpha shares similarities with Dhurandhar, claiming the former tells the latter's story in reverse. “After watching #Dhurandhar, producer Aditya Chopra reversed the story of Dhurandhar to make #Alpha. It's proof that Adi has become mentally bankrupt. Alpha is proof of how much Bollywood's so-called genius people know about filmmaking,” he wrote on X.
Several fans also criticised Hrithik Roshan’s cameo in Alpha, with some claiming his appearance looked AI-generated and others expressing disappointment with the film’s action choreography.
Drawing comparison with Salman Khan-starrer Tiger film franchise, another X user wrote, “After Pathaan & War 2, #Alpha is another letdown. #SalmanKhan 's Tiger built the Spy Universe & will always remain its original & definitive spy. It's disheartening to see such an iconic legacy lose its essence.”
Alpha follows Sita (Alia Bhatt), an elite assassin raised by Bobby Deol’s character. She joins forces with another agent (Sharvari), who revealed the true intent behind her father’s Alpha mission — a plan driven by revenge against India.
The film also stars Anil Kapoor.
