Alpha Is No. 3 on Netflix but ‘A Beautiful Body Without a Soul’
Trade analyst Taran Adarsh calls Alpha technically polished but emotionally hollow, even as the Alia Bhatt-Sharvari spy film hits Netflix's global top 10.
Trade analyst Taran Adarsh has delivered a blunt verdict on Alpha, the Yash Raj Films spy thriller starring Alia Bhatt and Sharvari. The film, he says, has the finish of a major studio production. The problem is not the scale; it is the screenplay.
“A beautiful body without a soul”
Speaking with Bollywood Hungama, Adarsh described the film as “a beautiful body without a soul.” He gave the team credit for how Alpha looks and sounds, but said the story could not hold his attention. “While watching the film, I became restless,” he said. During the preview screening, he added, the discomfort was visible. Walking out, he did not need to explain his reaction—it was written on his face.
Two comparisons shaped his response
Adarsh’s disappointment became clearer beside two films. The first is Saiyaara, also from Yash Raj Films. After that film, Adarsh says he left the theatre smiling and glowing. With Alpha, he felt the opposite. The second is Dhurandhar, another title in the spy universe. He told the Yash Raj team he was carrying Dhurandhar in his mind and wanted Alpha to be at least at the same level, if not a step ahead.
- Craft is not enough: Alpha’s technical and visual polish does not make up for a weak story.
- The Saiyaara test: an emotional high from the same studio made Alpha feel flatter by contrast.
- The Dhurandhar bar: Adarsh wanted the female-led spy film to equal or beat its universe sibling.
Genre is not the real villain
Adarsh did not suggest that Yash Raj Films should retreat to romance. He noted that the studio was built on romantic films and that The Romantics, its own documentary, captured that identity. Yet he also pointed to Ek Tha Tiger and the Mardaani franchise, with Rani Mukerji’s powerhouse turn, as proof that the banner can handle action and other genres. His conclusion was simple: if a film is good, it will work whether it is a comedy, a musical, a romance or an action film.
Why his verdict matters
Taran Adarsh is one of the most visible trade voices in Bollywood; when he gives a verdict like this, it frames how audiences and the industry talk about a film. For a franchise-heavy studio like YRF, the review lands at a sensitive moment—after the studio has pushed deeper into the spy universe with multiple releases. Adarsh’s core point is not about the stars; it is about the writing. That is a note that matters for every big-budget action film approaching the same template.
Streaming gives Alpha a second act
The critique has not stopped audiences from sampling the film. Alpha has landed at No. 3 on Netflix’s global top 10, according to Bollywood Hungama. That is a useful reminder: star power and spectacle can generate a streaming spike even when a film’s story draws sharp reviews.
How to watch Alpha
For Indian entertainment fans, Adarsh’s note acts as a viewing guide. Go in for the action choreography, the scale and the visual polish. If you are expecting the emotional pull of a Saiyaara, adjust your expectations. Alpha may still be a fun watch, but it is a film that sells its surfaces more than its script.
Source: bollywoodHungama.com
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