Alpha: Alia Bhatt and Sharvari are X-Women, but Uday Chopra’s story lacks the X-Factor
Alpha: Alia Bhatt and Sharvari Bring Strength to Screen, Yet Uday Chopra’s Narrative Falters
Alpha – As a child, the action sequences of Angelina Jolie in Salt, Lara Croft: Tomb Raider, and Wanted left an indelible mark — or the sleek, stylish combat of Charlie’s Angels sparked a fascination with female leads who command the screen with unshakable confidence. Alia Bhatt’s Alpha aims to deliver a similar experience, positioning its protagonists as formidable, self-reliant agents in Hindi cinema. It’s not just Yash Raj Films’ bold endeavor to showcase a “lean, mean killing machine” on screen — the film also seeks to fulfill a long-held audience desire for a woman-driven action spectacle.
Despite the actors’ capabilities, the film’s lack of originality is its greatest flaw. The script and direction fail to give Alia Bhatt and Sharvari the space to shine, clinging instead to a formulaic approach. While the slow-motion shots are a staple in modern cinema, their overuse in Alpha feels tiresome, undermining the film’s potential energy. The narrative’s repetitive structure, reminiscent of a checklist for spy-thriller essentials, leaves little room for creativity.
“Inn Hindustani fauji ko tank se marenge.”
This line, delivered by the Pakistani spies in the film, is a telling moment. It highlights how the script forces characters to explicitly state their plans, as if the audience requires constant reminders of the plot. The director’s reliance on familiar tropes — including mandatory bikini scenes, a high-profile cameo, an overly computerized action sequence, and a surplus of masked men ready to fall — creates a sense of déjà vu. Even the climactic fight, where Alia and Bobby Deol’s characters switch from guns to close combat, feels predictable, complete with a signature pose after every skirmish.
The storyline, however, struggles to maintain consistency. Alia’s character is abducted as a child, only for the narrative to twist itself into a confusing loop: the child is dead, yet she was trained as an assassin. Meanwhile, the twin sister’s sudden entrance into the plot feels rushed, as if the writers were trying to inject emotion without sufficient groundwork. The antagonist, a jilted Indian Army officer, is later revealed to be a Pakistani spy embedded in the armed forces — a twist that raises more questions than answers. This disjointed structure recalls the complexity of family riddles, where the answer is obvious once you’ve read the question, but the journey to get there feels unearned.
What sets Alpha apart is its attempt to infuse the characters with X-Men-like abilities through a special serum. Alia and Sharvari can detect enemy movements and even breathing from miles away, a power that should elevate the film’s stakes. Yet, the movie itself lacks the X-factor that would make it stand out. The writers, including Uday Chopra, Ishita Moitra, and Shridhar Raghavan, seem content to recycle tropes, resulting in a plot that feels generic and unoriginal.
Comparisons to previous spy thrillers reveal the gap in creativity. War offered a unique teacher-disciple dynamic between Hrithik Roshan and Tiger Shroff, while Ek Tha Tiger combined Salman Khan and Katrina Kaif’s chemistry with globe-trotting action and high-octane stunts. Pathaan leaned on Shah Rukh Khan’s stardom and emotional resonance, capturing hearts with its globe-hopping narrative and SRK’s triumphant return to the big screen. In contrast, Alpha offers nothing fresh, leaving its audience with a sense of disappointment.
The film’s lack of emotional depth is glaring, especially in its climax. Sharvari and Anil Kapoor’s characters conveniently exit the scene, allowing Alia to have her moment alone against Bobby Deol. This decision exposes the writers’ hesitancy, as if they’re afraid the audience won’t connect with the twin sister’s story. By the end, Alpha is forgotten as quickly as it was seen, failing to leave a lasting impression.