4 min readMumbaiJun 11, 2026 09:22 AM IST
Yash Raj Films, after a long wait marked by anticipation, delays and speculation, finally unveiled the teaser of its upcoming spy actioner Alpha, starring Alia Bhatt, Sharvari, and Bobby Deol on Wednesday. The short teaser introduces the origin story of Alia’s character, Sita, who is being trained as a spy. It shows her taking on a group of men single-handedly, dismantling them one by one with striking ease and, at moments, a visible sense of control over the violence. She is positioned not just as a spy, but as a relentless killing machine.
Parallels between Alpha and La Femme Nikita?
While the teaser has received a mixed response online, with several viewers criticising the action sequences as unconvincing, a particular opening scene has drawn significant attention. On Reddit, users pointed out similarities between the sequence and Luc Besson’s 1990 French thriller La Femme Nikita.
The teaser begins with a young Alia sharing a meal with Bobby Deol. As he wishes her on her 18th birthday, he hands her a card with a hotel room number and tells her it is time to put her years of training to use. Fans noted a similar narrative setup in La Femme Nikita, where Bob (Tchky Karyo), takes Nikita (Anne Parillaud), to an upscale restaurant. What initially appears to be a casual outing soon turns into a mission briefing when he hands her a gun and instructs her to eliminate targets at the venue.
On Reddit, users shared clips from both Alpha and La Femme Nikita side by side and pointing out the similarities. One wrote, “Do they think people are illiterate or unaware in 2026?” Another added, “Oh wow. They really thought the audience has no exposure to international cinema and wouldn’t pick up on the connection. Taking inspiration is one thing but this is an obvious and a complete copy.”
Alpha seems to have taken some "inspiration"
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Beyond this, users also pointed out another similarity between Alpha and Clint Eastwood’s 2014 war drama American Sniper. The reference comes from a dialogue in the teaser where Bobby Deol’s character tells Alia that there are only two kinds of people in this world: sheep and wolves. A user sharing a clip with a similar line from American Sniper on X wrote, “Alpha didn’t copy #AmericanSniper; it just got a little too inspired by it. Maybe YRF should hunt for fresh talent instead of familiar dialogue. And despite Bobby Deol’s cover fire, the girl playing young #Aliabatt looks more convincing than the star herself. #YRFSpyUniverse.”
About Alpha
Alpha, directed by Shiv Rawail, has faced multiple delays. The film was initially scheduled for a release in December 2025. It was then postponed to April 2026, but Yash Raj Films later moved it ahead. It will now release in theaters on July 3, 2026. It is the latest entry in the YRF Spy Universe, which has previously delivered titles like War, Pathaan, Tiger 3, and War 2.
Alpha will release in theaters on July 3, 2026.