Alia Bhatt went ‘above and beyond’ for Alpha, says action director amid criticism

As Alpha prepares for its theatrical release, action director Craig Macrae has come out in support of Alia Bhatt, praising the actor's commitment and preparation for the film. His remarks arrive shortly after the trailer sparked mixed reactions online, with some social media users questioning Alia's action avatar.

Macrae, who has worked on international projects featuring actors such as Charlize Theron and Milla Jovovich, said Alia's dedication throughout the filmmaking process stood out. According to him, the actor invested significant time and effort into preparing for the role, both physically and emotionally.

Speaking about her approach, he said, “What sets Alia Bhatt apart from those other female stars is that I think her work ethic is absolutely incredible. She's really put in a lot of time and a lot of effort into preparing for Alpha. She was really dedicated to the movie and I think that's going to be the thing that really makes a huge difference in her on-screen presence.”

Macrae further explained that Alia's preparation was not limited to action sequences alone. He said the actor spent considerable time understanding her character and ensuring that every aspect of the performance felt authentic. “Not only just for the action preparation, she obviously did a lot of work for the preparation as the character as well. She's one of those people that you can really feel is willing to put in the amount of work that is required and then some, to go above and beyond what's needed for the film,” he added.

The action director also praised Sharvari, who plays a key role in the film. According to Macrae, both actors underwent extensive physical training, combat practice and stunt preparation before filming began.

“Alia and Sharvari were absolutely incredible for this movie. The preparation that they put into it, the work that they put into preparing for this movie physically and with their skills training and stunt training was absolutely incredible. It's very rare to find people who are willing to put in the amount of time and effort that Alia and Sharvari put into this movie,” he said.

Directed by Shiv Rawail and produced by Yash Raj Films, Alpha stars Alia Bhatt as Sita, an assassin who faces off against a character played by Bobby Deol. The film, also featuring Sharvari, is scheduled to release in theatres worldwide on July 3, 2026.