Alpha Movie Review 2026: Cast, Plot, Release Date & More

I walked into the theatre on the morning of 3rd July 2026 with two very different feelings fighting for space in my head. On one hand, this was the first time the YRF Spy Universe had ever handed its keys to two women. On the other, after the disappointment of War 2, I genuinely did not know whether Alpha was going to save this franchise or bury it a little deeper. Three hours later, I walked out with a mixed bag of thoughts, and I think that is exactly what this film deserves: an honest, detailed, no-nonsense review rather than a one-line verdict.

If you are trying to decide whether Alpha is worth your ticket money this weekend, or if you already watched it and want to know whether your reaction matches what the rest of the country is saying, you are in the right place. I am going to break down the cast, the story, the performances, the Hrithik Roshan cameo everyone is talking about, what critics and audiences across platforms are saying, and finally, my own honest rating.

Alpha Movie Basics You Should Know

Alpha released theatrically on 3rd July 2026 and is the seventh film in the Yash Raj Films Spy Universe, following titles like Ek Tha Tiger, War, Pathaan, and Tiger 3. It is directed by Shiv Rawail, who is stepping into feature filmmaking for the first time after his work on the web series The Railway Men. The film is produced by Aditya Chopra, the man who has quietly built this entire cinematic universe from scratch over more than a decade.

What makes Alpha different from every other spy film YRF has made so far is simple: for the first time, the franchise is being led by two women instead of a single male superstar. That alone made this one of the most awaited Hindi releases of the year.

Meet the Cast of Alpha

Alia Bhatt plays Sita, a woman trained since childhood to become a ruthless, highly skilled operative. This is by far the most physically demanding role of her career, and it shows in every frame she appears in.

Sharvari Wagh plays Durga, Sita’s estranged twin sister who grew up far away from the world of espionage, living an ordinary life abroad before getting pulled into the same dangerous mission.

Anil Kapoor plays Colonel Vikrant Kaul, the head of RAW and the father figure connecting both women, a character audiences first met in War 2.

Bobby Deol plays Fateh Singh Lakhawat, the man behind the covert Alpha programme and the film’s central antagonist, a role that demanded a completely different physical presence and accent from him.

And yes, before you ask, Hrithik Roshan does return as Major Kabir Dhaliwal in a cameo appearance that fans of the universe have been anticipating since the trailer dropped.

The supporting cast includes Dibyendu Bhattacharya as Dr. John Verghese, Pavleen Gujral as Dr. Preeti, and a few other faces who add texture to the story without ever stealing focus from the four leads.

The Plot of Alpha, Explained Without Spoiling Too Much

The story begins in 1999, right after the Kargil War, when Colonel Fateh Singh Lakhawat and Lieutenant Colonel Vikrant Kaul secretly launch a covert super-soldier programme called Alpha. Years later, the programme is shut down after its side effects turn out to be dangerous, but not before it changes the lives of everyone connected to it, including Vikrant’s own family.

Fast forward to the present day, and we meet Sita, an adult now, hunting down everyone responsible for the Alpha programme that shaped her entire life without her consent. Her path eventually crosses with Vikrant, now the chief of RAW, and with Durga, her sister she never knew existed. What follows is a mission that pulls both women into a conspiracy involving Fateh, a shocking secret about his real identity, and a race to stop a new and more dangerous version of the Alpha serum from being created.

Without giving away the climax, I will say this: the film has genuine surprises in its second half, particularly around Fateh’s backstory, and the way the two sisters eventually team up gives the franchise a real emotional core that some of the earlier entries lacked.

How Is the Acting in Alpha?

This is where opinions genuinely split, and I want to be fair to every side of the argument because that is what an honest review demands.

Alia Bhatt throws herself completely into the physicality of Sita’s character. She trained hard for the action sequences, and you can tell. However, several reviewers, myself included, felt that the emotional beats of her performance did not always land the way they were meant to. There is a certain coldness written into Sita’s character, and at times that coldness comes across as distance rather than depth.

Sharvari, on the other hand, has genuinely surprised a lot of people, including me. Her character Durga has more room to be vulnerable, funny, and conflicted, and she uses that room well. Several trade reviewers have actually pointed out that Sharvari holds her own screen presence against Alia, and in certain sequences, she is the more convincing performer of the two.

Anil Kapoor brings the same commanding authority he is known for, and he manages to make even the more generic dialogue sound convincing purely through his screen presence. Bobby Deol, playing against type once again after his recent career revival, has a strong physical presence as the antagonist, though his accent work has drawn some criticism for feeling a little forced in places.

What Critics and Audiences Are Saying About Alpha

I always believe a review is more useful when it does not exist in a bubble, so here is a genuine snapshot of how the film has been received across platforms.

Rishabh Suri of Hindustan Times rated the film 2 out of 5, describing it as a competently made but emotionally flat film that never quite finds its own identity, with most of its highlights coming courtesy of Hrithik Roshan’s brief screen time.

A critic at Bollywood Hungama also gave it 2 out of 5, noting the film looks grand and has some strong action set pieces, but ultimately gets weighed down by weak writing and lacklustre direction, calling it yet another underwhelming chapter for the franchise after War 2.

Not every review has been harsh, though. Titas Chowdhury of News18 was considerably more positive, awarding the film 3.5 out of 5 and praising it for finally letting women command large-scale action sequences in mainstream Bollywood, something that remains rare even today.

On the other end, Vineeta Kumar of India Today rated it 2.5 out of 5 and specifically criticised how the film handles its female leads visually, arguing that certain costume choices in action-heavy sequences felt like they existed purely for glamour rather than serving the story.

Social media reactions on release day were, unsurprisingly, all over the place. Trade analyst Taran Adarsh pointed out that while the action set pieces and visuals are genuinely impressive, the writing simply does not connect emotionally. A large section of audiences on Twitter called the film predictable and formulaic, with many pointing out that the franchise is starting to lean too heavily on cameos and universe-building instead of telling a tight, self-contained story.

Interestingly, the film’s box office performance has reflected this divided reaction. Alpha opened to around 9 crore net in India on its first day, which trade reports have flagged as the lowest opening day figure for any film in the YRF Spy Universe so far, even though it still ranked among the better openings for a female-led Bollywood film.

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The Hrithik Roshan Cameo: Worth the Hype or Not?

Let’s talk about the moment everyone bought tickets for. Hrithik Roshan returns as Major Kabir Dhaliwal, and there is a genuine buzz in the theatre the second he appears on screen. Several reviewers, including critics at Hollywood Reporter India, have pointed out that his short action sequence is actually the most energetic and confident stretch of the entire film, a moment where the choreography suddenly feels effortless rather than staged.

That said, not everyone walked away impressed. Some reviewers felt the cameo was underused and did not carry the narrative weight it should have, especially given how much marketing was built around his appearance. My honest take sits somewhere in the middle: it is a fun few minutes on screen, but if you are watching Alpha purely for Hrithik, you might walk out wanting more.

My Personal Take and Rating on Alpha Movie

Here is where I put my own opinion on the table, separate from what critics or the internet are saying.

I think Alpha deserves credit for what it is trying to do. Handing a spy franchise this big to two female leads is not a small decision, and there are moments, particularly in the second half, where the film genuinely earns its emotional stakes. The action choreography is polished, the Kashmir and Spain locations look stunning on the big screen, and Sharvari’s performance alone makes the film worth watching.

But I cannot ignore the fact that the writing plays it too safe. The film borrows heavily from the tone of recent hits in the same genre instead of carving out its own personality, and a few plot devices, like the “guinea pig” symbolism around Sita’s character, feel more gimmicky than clever. The emotional father-daughter conflict at the centre of the story is interesting on paper but gets a little lost in the noise of action set pieces and universe cameos.

My rating: 3 out of 5 stars.

It is not the disaster some people predicted before release, but it is also not the reinvention this franchise badly needed. If you are a fan of the YRF Spy Universe, you will still enjoy watching these characters share the screen. If you are coming in fresh, expecting something on the level of recent genre-defining spy thrillers, you might leave a little underwhelmed.

Conclusion

Alpha is a film caught between ambition and formula. It wants to be a bold, female-led origin story, and in flashes, it absolutely is one. Alia Bhatt and Sharvari both bring real commitment to their roles, Anil Kapoor adds gravity, Bobby Deol brings menace, and Hrithik Roshan’s brief return gives fans exactly the fan-service moment they were hoping for. But the story underneath all of this spectacle needed sharper writing to truly stand out.

Would I recommend watching it in theatres? Yes, mainly for the scale, the action, and Sharvari’s breakout performance. Just walk in with balanced expectations, and you will enjoy the ride a lot more.

Frequently Asked Questions About Alpha

Q1. When did Alpha release?

A. Alpha released in theatres worldwide on 3rd July 2026.

Q2. Who are the lead actors in Alpha?

A. The film stars Alia Bhatt as Sita, Sharvari Wagh as Durga, Anil Kapoor as Colonel Vikrant Kaul, and Bobby Deol as Fateh Singh Lakhawat.

Q3. Is Hrithik Roshan really in Alpha?

A. Yes, Hrithik Roshan appears in a cameo role reprising his character Major Kabir Dhaliwal from the film War.

Q4. Is Alpha connected to other YRF Spy Universe films?

A. Yes, Alpha is the seventh installment in the YRF Spy Universe, which also includes Ek Tha Tiger, Tiger Zinda Hai, War, Pathaan, Tiger 3, and War 2.

Q5. Is Alpha a sequel to War 2?

A. Not exactly a direct sequel, but it does continue the story of Anil Kapoor’s character Vikrant Kaul, who was introduced in War 2, and shares the same shared universe timeline.

Q6. Who directed Alpha?

A. Alpha is directed by Shiv Rawail, marking his debut as a feature film director after his work on the series The Railway Men.

Q7. Is Alpha suitable for family viewing?

A. Alpha has received a UA 16 plus certificate from the Central Board of Film Certification due to intense action sequences and violence, so parental guidance is recommended for younger viewers.

Q8. What is the Alpha serum in the movie?

A. Within the story, the Alpha serum is a fictional regenerative formula developed under a secret military programme meant to create physically enhanced super-soldiers, though it comes with serious long-term side effects.

Q9. Is Alpha based on a true story?

A. No, Alpha is a work of fiction and is not based on real events or real intelligence operations.

Q10. How is Alpha performing at the box office?

A. Alpha opened to around 9 crore net in India on its first day, a relatively modest start compared to earlier films in the franchise, with its overall run depending heavily on word of mouth in the following days.

Q11. Should I watch Alpha in theatres or wait for streaming?

A. If you enjoy large-scale action and want to see the visuals and choreography at their full impact, theatres are the better option. If you are more invested in story and dialogue, you may not lose much by waiting for a streaming release.

Q12. Is Alpha better than War 2?

A. Most critics and audiences seem to agree that Alpha is a slight improvement over War 2 in terms of energy and performances, though both films have faced criticism for weak writing.

Prashant

Hi, I’m Prashant Jain — a film enthusiast and critic who lives and breathes cinema. From big-screen releases to the latest drops on OTT, I watch extensively and review honestly, without hype or bias.
I believe a good review should go beyond just “good” or “bad.” It should help you understand what works, what doesn’t, and whether a film is truly worth your time. My reviews focus on storytelling, performances, direction, and overall impact — all through the lens of a genuine viewer.
I regularly cover new movie releases and trending web series across OTT, bringing clear, no-nonsense insights for audiences who want real opinions, not paid praise.
Through PopNewsBlend, I aim to cut through the noise and give you reviews you can trust — whether you’re deciding what to watch next or just love discussing cinema as much as I do.