The much-awaited teaser of Alpha finally dropped on Wednesday, giving audiences their first glimpse into Yash Raj Films’ ambitious female-led spy thriller starring Alia Bhatt, Sharvari and Bobby Deol. Positioned as the newest chapter in the expanding YRF Spy Universe, the teaser quickly became one of the biggest talking points online. However, alongside praise for its scale, action and performances, Alpha has also landed in controversy after several viewers accused the makers of copying scenes and dialogues from internationally acclaimed films, including Luc Besson’s La Femme Nikita and Clint Eastwood’s American Sniper.
Social media platforms were flooded with side-by-side comparisons within hours of the teaser release, reigniting Bollywood’s long-running debate around “inspiration” versus originality.
Why Are Fans Comparing Alpha To La Femme Nikita?
One particular scene from the Alpha teaser has become the centre of online discussion. In the sequence, Bobby Deol’s character takes Alia Bhatt’s character, whom he has trained from childhood to become a spy, to an upscale restaurant on her 18th birthday. What initially appears to be a celebratory dinner soon turns into a mission briefing, as Bobby’s character asks her to carry out her first assassination. Many viewers immediately pointed out similarities between the scene and a memorable moment from Luc Besson’s 1990 French action thriller La Femme Nikita.
The opening scene is copied 90% from the scene in Luc Besson’s action classic LA FEMME…😱
The Plot is also similar… #Alpha 😭 https://t.co/K2AegbG5da pic.twitter.com/TK3118Vgmx
— KRANKUL (@FilmoriaHub) June 10, 2026
The opening scene is copied 90% from the scene in Luc Besson’s action classic LA FEMME…😱
The Plot is also similar… #Alpha 😭 https://t.co/K2AegbG5da pic.twitter.com/TK3118Vgmx
— KRANKUL (@FilmoriaHub) June 10, 2026
In the French classic, Tcheky Karyo’s character Bob takes Anne Parillaud’s Nikita, a trained assassin, to an elegant restaurant before unexpectedly handing her a gun and instructing her to eliminate targets present at the venue. The similarities sparked intense online chatter, with users sharing clips from both films and debating whether the sequence in Alpha was inspired by the original or directly copied from it. One user wrote that the teaser scene was “loosely copied” from La Femme Nikita, while another claimed the resemblance was “almost identical”.
What Is The American Sniper Dialogue Controversy?
Apart from the restaurant sequence, another moment from the teaser drew attention for its resemblance to a dialogue from Clint Eastwood’s American Sniper. In Alpha, Bobby Deol’s character uses a “wolf and sheep” analogy while training Alia Bhatt’s character to become fearless and emotionally detached as a spy. Cinema enthusiasts online quickly pointed out that a similar analogy was famously used in American Sniper, the 2014 biographical war drama starring Bradley Cooper.
Several users accused the makers of recycling familiar Hollywood ideas rather than creating fresh writing for the spy thriller. One viral post sarcastically remarked that Alpha “didn’t copy American Sniper, it just got too inspired by it.” The comparisons have once again highlighted how audiences today are far more aware of global cinema references than before, making it increasingly difficult for filmmakers to escape scrutiny over borrowed scenes or dialogues.
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 https://t.co/FWKt8HW77h pic.twitter.com/55xSHGmscM
— Abhimanyu Sharma (@_Abhhimanyu) June 10, 2026
About Alpha
Despite the controversy, Alpha remains one of the most anticipated Bollywood releases in the YRF Spy Universe. Directed by Shiv Rawail and produced by Aditya Chopra, the film stars Alia Bhatt and Sharvari as elite spies navigating a high-stakes world of espionage, betrayal and international threats. Bobby Deol appears to play a mentor-like figure with morally grey shades.
The film marks the first female-led chapter in the YRF Spy Universe, which already includes blockbuster franchises like Pathaan, War, Tiger Zinda Hai and Ek Tha Tiger. The teaser also hints at emotionally layered storytelling mixed with stylised action sequences, a formula that has worked well for the franchise in the past.
Is Bollywood’s ‘Inspired By’ Debate Returning Again?
The reaction to Alpha reflects a recurring conversation in Bollywood, where is the line between homage, inspiration and imitation? Hindi cinema has frequently faced criticism over similarities with international films, especially in genres like thrillers, action dramas and spy movies. While some filmmakers openly acknowledge inspirations, audiences today often demand greater originality, particularly from large-scale productions backed by major studios.
At the same time, several fans defended Alpha, arguing that spy thrillers across the world often share similar tropes, training montages and psychological mentor-student dynamics. For now, the teaser has succeeded in doing one thing for certain, putting Alpha firmly at the centre of internet conversation. Whether the film ultimately silences the criticism or fuels it further will only become clear once it hits theatres.
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