When Yash Raj Films announced Alpha as the first female-led film in the Spy Universe, expectations naturally skyrocketed. After the series of Ek Tha Tiger, Tiger Zinda Hai, War, Pathaan, Tiger 3, and War 2, the franchise was ready to explore a fresh perspective with Alia Bhatt and Sharvari leading the charge. On paper, it sounded exciting. A new chapter, two female spies at the center, Bobby Deol as the antagonist, Anil Kapoor in a key role, and a surprise appearance by Hrithik Roshan. Everything pointed towards a stylish action spectacle.
Unfortunately, Alpha turns out to be one of the weakest entries in the YRF Spy Universe. Directed by Shiv Rawail and written by Uday Chopra, Sridhar Raghavan, and Soumil Shukla, the film has scale, slick visuals, and a handful of well-executed action sequences. But beneath all the spectacle lies a screenplay that struggles with logic, originality, and emotional depth. What could have been a landmark film for the franchise ultimately ends up feeling like a missed opportunity.
Alpha Story
The story revolves around a secret military initiative called the Alpha Program, developed by Colonel Fateh (Bobby Deol) and scientist Dr. Verghese (Divyendu Bhattacharya). Their objective is to create enhanced soldiers using a special serum capable of giving Indian troops extraordinary physical abilities during combat.
However, the experiment fails. The Army decides to shut down the project, but before that happens, a pregnant woman named Janaki (Dia Mirza) receives the Alpha serum. She dies while giving birth, but her daughter miraculously survives.
That child grows up to become Sita (Alia Bhatt). Unknown to her, Fateh raises and trains Sita as part of his own long-term plan. Believing she is serving her country, Sita gradually discovers that the truth behind her existence is far more disturbing than she ever imagined. As hidden motives come to light, alliances begin to shift, leading Sita into a dangerous battle where betrayal, identity, and survival become deeply intertwined.
Alpha Movie Review
Alpha begins with an interesting premise. The Alpha Program, genetically enhanced soldiers, and a morally ambiguous mentor provide enough intrigue to keep viewers invested during the opening portions. The initial setup creates the impression that the film is preparing something different from the usual YRF Spy Universe formula.
Unfortunately, that promise doesn’t last very long. Within the first hour, the story starts falling into painfully familiar territory. Once again, the narrative revolves around a rogue military officer with personal ambitions. Once again, the twists become predictable long before they arrive. And once again, the screenplay chooses spectacle over substance.
The biggest casualty here is the writing. Uday Chopra, Sridhar Raghavan, and Soumil Shukla deliver a screenplay that relies heavily on convenient shortcuts, forced emotional moments, and illogical character decisions. Every major revelation feels less surprising than expected because the film repeatedly telegraphs its intentions.
Several scenes demand that audiences simply stop asking questions. Instead of building suspense through intelligent storytelling, the screenplay constantly asks viewers to accept situations that make very little logical sense. By the second half, the emotional investment has almost completely disappeared.
The patriotic angle also never lands. Despite the India-Pakistan backdrop and the military setting, the emotional weight feels surprisingly hollow. Moments that should have generated tension or pride pass by without leaving much impact.
One of Alpha’s biggest problems is its timing. The Bollywood spy genre has evolved significantly over the past few years, and audiences today expect sharper writing alongside large-scale action. More recently, Dhurandhar and Dhurandhar: The Revenge has raised the bar even higher by proving that a spy thriller can combine grounded storytelling, believable characters, and thrilling action without sacrificing emotional depth. Unfortunately, Alpha moves in the opposite direction. Rather than pushing the YRF Spy Universe forward, it falls back on the franchise’s most overused template. The result is a film that feels dated despite its massive scale.
To the film’s credit, not everything disappoints. The first major confrontation between Alia Bhatt and Sharvari during the first half is choreographed exceptionally well. It is easily among the film’s best action sequences and briefly hints at what Alpha could have become.
The cinematography is another positive. The film looks polished throughout, with stylish visuals and lavish production values that maintain the premium look audiences associate with the Spy Universe. Technically, Alpha is difficult to fault. The action choreography is slick, particularly during the first half. Several chase sequences and hand-to-hand combat scenes display impressive technical craftsmanship.
The visual effects are mostly convincing, while the production design gives the film the grand cinematic scale expected from a YRF production. The background score complements the action effectively, although it struggles to elevate emotionally weak scenes. The music itself remains serviceable but lacks a memorable track capable of leaving a lasting impression.
Unfortunately, technical brilliance alone cannot rescue weak storytelling. Even the much-hyped sequence after the interval, which appears poised to become the film’s defining moment, ultimately falls flat because the surrounding narrative lacks emotional investment.
Alpha Performances
Alia Bhatt sincerely commits to the role but honestly looks misfit. She performs the action sequences with conviction and puts in visible effort throughout the film. However, the character itself never fully suits her. Much of this stems from inconsistent writing rather than performance alone. Sita rarely evolves beyond what the screenplay demands in each scene, leaving Alia with limited material to create a truly memorable spy protagonist.
Sharvari makes a confident impression whenever she appears. She possesses the screen presence needed for an action film, but the screenplay gives her far less to do than expected. Her character deserved greater depth and a stronger emotional arc.
Bobby Deol brings his trademark intensity to Colonel Fateh. However his Haryanvi – Rajasthani accent does not feel convincing. Despite being positioned as the primary antagonist, his character never develops into the intimidating villain the film desperately needs. The motivations remain predictable, limiting the impact of his performance.
Anil Kapoor lends credibility to the proceedings, but his role remains underutilized. Among the supporting cast, Hrithik Roshan’s cameo emerges as one of the film’s biggest crowd-pleasing moments. His brief appearance injects much-needed energy into the narrative and reminds viewers why the Spy Universe became so popular in the first place. Ironically, one of the film’s shortest appearances becomes one of its biggest highlights.
Final Verdict
Alpha had every ingredient to become a game-changer for the YRF Spy Universe. A fresh female-led story, a talented cast, impressive production values, and a proven franchise should have resulted in one of the year’s biggest action entertainers.
Instead, the film settles for recycled ideas, predictable storytelling, and an astonishing lack of originality. The impressive visuals, polished action choreography, and Hrithik Roshan’s cameo provide occasional highs, but they are nowhere near enough to compensate for a screenplay that constantly undermines its own potential.
Perhaps the biggest disappointment is that Alpha arrives at a time when Hindi spy thrillers have already demonstrated how intelligently this genre can be executed. Recent films like Dhurandhar have shown that scale and grounded storytelling can coexist beautifully. Alpha, however, chooses familiarity over innovation, making the YRF Spy Universe feel like it is moving backwards instead of evolving.
This should have been a bold new beginning. Instead, it becomes one of the franchise’s biggest missed opportunities.
Rating: ⭐½ (1.5/5)
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