Alpha reviews have arrived, and critics agree that Yash Raj Films has delivered one of the most ambitious projects in its Spy Universe. Released in cinemas on July 3, the franchise’s first female-led action thriller stars Alia Bhatt and Sharvari as twin sisters whose lives take dramatically different paths—one becomes a deadly assassin while the other grows up as the daughter of a RAW chief. While reviewers praise the film’s large-scale action, polished production values, and several standout performances, the consensus is that an uneven screenplay prevents Alpha from reaching the heights of earlier entries in the YRF Spy Universe.
Directed by Shiv Rawail in his feature film debut, Alpha follows twin sisters separated by circumstance and reunited against the backdrop of an international espionage conspiracy. As dangerous secrets surrounding the mysterious Alpha serum begin to surface, the sisters find themselves on opposite sides of a mission that tests both their loyalty and their relationship. Featuring Bobby Deol as the primary antagonist, Anil Kapoor as a senior RAW official, and a special appearance by Hrithik Roshan as Kabir, the film attempts to combine emotional family drama with globe-trotting spy action while expanding the mythology of YRF’s interconnected cinematic universe.
The strongest point of agreement among critics is the film’s technical execution. Across multiple reviews, Alpha is praised for looking and feeling like a major theatrical spectacle. Reviewers highlight its stylish cinematography, large-scale action choreography, and polished production values, arguing that Shiv Rawail successfully delivers the visual scale audiences expect from the Spy Universe. Even critics who were disappointed by the storytelling acknowledge that the action sequences consistently provide the film’s biggest thrills.
Writing for The Hollywood Reporter India, critics argue that Alpha often feels overly cautious, suggesting the film becomes so concerned with satisfying franchise expectations that it loses confidence in its own identity. While acknowledging the impressive craftsmanship on display, the publication believes the film never fully commits to either its emotional drama or its spy-thriller ambitions, leaving both elements underdeveloped.
India TV News offers a more balanced assessment, noting that the film works best whenever it stops overcomplicating the narrative and allows the action to take center stage. The review praises the opening stretch for immediately drawing audiences into the story before arguing that the screenplay gradually loses momentum as increasingly convoluted plot developments begin to overshadow the central conflict.
Alia Bhatt’s performance has emerged as one of the film’s most divisive elements. India TV News suggests she takes time to settle into the demanding action role, while The Hollywood Reporter India argues that the emotional detachment built into her character ultimately prevents the performance from achieving the layered complexity the role requires. Several critics believe the writing gives Alia strong action moments but fewer emotionally convincing scenes, making it difficult for audiences to fully connect with her character.
Sharvari, meanwhile, has received considerably more consistent praise. Critics describe her as fierce, convincing, and particularly effective during the action sequences. Several reviews argue that despite delivering one of the film’s strongest performances, the screenplay treats her as a secondary character, limiting both her screen time and emotional arc despite the project being promoted as an equal-lead film.
The supporting cast has earned some of the film’s warmest reviews. Bobby Deol’s intimidating screen presence and commanding voice have been widely praised for giving the antagonist genuine menace, while Anil Kapoor brings emotional weight and credibility as the grieving RAW chief whose personal loss drives much of the narrative. Although their screen time is limited compared to the leads, several critics suggest both actors leave a lasting impression.
One of the film’s biggest crowd-pleasing moments belongs to Hrithik Roshan’s cameo as Kabir. Multiple reviewers single out his appearance as one of Alpha’s undeniable highlights. India TV News describes the sequence as “paisa vasool,” while The Hollywood Reporter India argues that Kabir’s action scene is the only moment where the filmmaking appears completely confident, relaxed, and fully in control of its own style.
The screenplay has attracted by far the strongest criticism. Across reviews, critics point to inconsistent internal logic, underdeveloped emotional relationships, forced patriotic moments, and several unintentionally humorous scenes that weaken the tension. Many reviewers also express disappointment with the Alpha serum storyline, arguing that what appears to be the film’s most exciting narrative concept never develops into the compelling dramatic device it promises to be. Several critics further note that despite being built around the relationship between two sisters, the emotional bond at the heart of the story never receives enough attention to make its biggest moments truly impactful.
For The Hollywood Reporter India, this ultimately becomes the film’s defining weakness. The publication argues that Alpha spends too much time trying to satisfy audience expectations of a YRF Spy Universe spectacle instead of trusting its own story. Other critics echo similar concerns, describing the second half as increasingly unfocused while suggesting that the film borrows familiar ideas from previous action thrillers without giving them a distinctive identity of its own. Some reviewers even point to signs of growing spy-thriller fatigue, arguing that Alpha struggles to justify its place within an increasingly crowded franchise landscape.
Alpha represents an important milestone for mainstream Hindi cinema as Yash Raj Films’ first female-led entry in the Spy Universe. Critics largely agree that the ambition is undeniable, the action is consistently entertaining, and the production values meet the franchise’s blockbuster standards. However, the screenplay repeatedly emerges as the missing piece. A stronger emotional foundation and a more focused narrative could have transformed Alpha into a defining moment for the Spy Universe. Instead, reviewers see it as an entertaining but uneven action spectacle that succeeds visually more often than dramatically.
Film Details: Alpha
Director: Shiv Rawail
Writers: Aditya Chopra, Shridhar Raghavan (story/screenplay credits as applicable)
Cast: Alia Bhatt, Sharvari, Bobby Deol, Anil Kapoor, Hrithik Roshan (special appearance)
Genre: Action, Spy Thriller
Production: Yash Raj Films
Release Date: July 3, 2026
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