The seventh chapter of the YRF Spy Universe hits UK cinemas on 3 July, and this time, the franchise is led not by a Tiger or a Pathaan, but by Alia Bhatt and Sharvari in Alpha.
The question on everyone’s mind is whether UK audiences will support them as enthusiastically as they did Shah Rukh Khan and Hrithik Roshan.
Directed by newcomer Shiv Rawail and produced by Aditya Chopra under Yash Raj Films, this film is notable as the first female-led spy thriller in the YRF Spy Universe, a franchise that has already produced box-office hits like Ek Tha Tiger, War, Pathaan, and War 2.
Alia Bhatt stars as Sita, a spy whose codename, given by the villain Bobby Deol, references her mother Janaki.
Sharvari portrays a mysterious operative whose loyalties Sita initially questions, though they must unite against a formidable enemy.
Anil Kapoor plays their mentor, while Bobby Deol serves as the primary antagonist.
Additionally, there’s the burning question of cameos, which has captured fans’ attention leading up to the release.
The trailer ends with a tantalising glimpse of a mystery character, identified only by a pair of striking green eyes.
Speculation about Hrithik Roshan’s appearance has been confirmed, further intertwining the narrative threads of the YRF Spy Universe. However, whether Shah Rukh Khan will make a cameo remains officially uncertain.
The path to Alpha’s release has been anything but smooth. Initially scheduled for a Christmas 2025 release, the film faced multiple delays.
First moving to April 2026, then adjusting again to avoid a clash with Salman Khan’s Battle of Galwan, and finally shifting from July 10 to July 3 when Dhamaal 4 vacated its slot.
These three date changes over the past 12 months have created a buzz that feels more cautious than YRF typically generates for its films.
Advance booking numbers reflect this cautious atmosphere. Despite the strong franchise history and star power, Alpha sold just 11,255 tickets nationwide in India by its release eve, translating to approximately ₹44.74 lakh in pre-sales, a figure that analysts consider underwhelming for a YRF Spy Universe title. Including premium block seats, the total rises to around ₹1.58 crore, still below the expected opening trajectory of previous franchise films.
However, the film’s overseas pre-sales look more promising, suggesting a brighter picture for the global rollout.
In the UK, Alpha is available in ODEON and Vue cinema chains, which are standard venues for major Bollywood releases and are known for delivering strong opening-weekend numbers in areas with significant South Asian populations. While specific UK advance booking figures remain undisclosed, strong overseas pre-sales suggest greater international interest.
For British audiences who have repeatedly supported YRF’s franchise films and followed both Alia Bhatt and Sharvari throughout their careers, this weekend will be a real test of the brand’s appeal when new faces take the lead.
The film’s creative team also brings impressive credentials. Director Shiv Rawail, transitioning from television, makes his feature film debut with Alpha, reflecting significant trust placed in a first-time director for a project of this scale.
The screenplay was penned by Soumil Shukla and Shridhar Raghavan, with dialogue by Ishita Moitra, known for her emotionally intelligent narratives in female-led projects like Gunjan Saxena: The Kargil Girl.
Action sequences are choreographed by Craig Macrae and Sunil Rodrigues, and the film runs 2 hours and 20 minutes, providing ample time to balance its action, espionage, and emotional depth.
The premise of two women on a mission to uncover and dismantle an illegal military program promises to be compelling, with the dynamic between Alia Bhatt and Sharvari at its core.
Bhatt, in her YRF debut after over thirteen years in the industry, delivers a range and depth few contemporaries can match. Sharvari, who has steadily built a strong profile through films like Munjya and Good Newwz, is well-suited for a franchise debut of this nature.
Whether this combination will lead to the kind of opening weekend that YRF needs and what Bollywood’s ongoing push for female-led mainstream cinema deserves will soon be revealed in the coming 72 hours.
Alpha is now showing in UK cinemas at ODEON and Vue, with a running time of 2 hours and 20 minutes and a rating of U/A.