Director Shiv Rawail's spy film, Alpha, starring Alia Bhatt and Sharvari in the lead roles, hit theatres earlier this Friday. The early reviews have not been all that encouraging for the espionage thriller, which is directed by Shiv Rawail and produced by Yash Raj Films.

Most of the early Alpha reviews say that the film has not lived up to the expectations. One user wrote, "It feels emotionally hollow... 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. But it never aims beyond the basics and ends up feeling like a quiet, forgettable spy thriller."

Another viewer questioned the very idea of backing such a film. "Alpha is a bafflingly mediocre concept for a spy universe film that makes you wonder who approved it and why ??" The user added, "You are investing 100cr+ in a movie yet you can't hire decent writers? Bollywood producers need to pay writers better, just like in 70s if they truly want a comeback."

Netizens have also been mixed regarding the cameo of Hrithik Roshan as Kabir, his War character, in Alpha. According to some of them, 'the theatre erupted' when Hrithik's character comes onscreen, and his portions add up to some of the better parts of the espionage thriller. Others also praised the ease with which Hrithik performed the action sequences in the film. On the contrary, some audiences found it 'a forced cameo,' unlike Salman Khan's brief appearance in Pathaan.

There are also multiple comparisons between Aditya Dhar's blockbuster spy thriller Dhurandhar and its sequel and the latest Alia Bhatt-Sharvari starrer. According to them, YRF's film does not come close to achieving the authenticity of the milieu and the conviction in storytelling in the Dhurandhar franchise.

In the meantime, there also audiences who disliked both the Ranveer Singh starrer franchise and Alpha, arguing that the only difference between these films is that the latter has female characters sporting in bikinis in foreign locations.