After the release of the Alpha teaser by Yash Raj Films, Alia Bhatt, who stars in the lead role, came under online backlash.

In the newly dropped Alpha teaser, an emotional 18th birthday moment unfolds between Alia’ character and her father, portrayed by Bobby Deol, before a twist reveals she is being assigned her first mission.

Through flashbacks, the film reveals her strict childhood conditioning under the secret Alpha programme, with a montage showcasing Alia Bhatt in brutal combat training that shapes her into an elite assassin.

However, the 33-year-old actress was met with some backlash online, especially for taking on a younger role.

"The hardest part of the alpha teaser wasn't the plot; it was believing that a visibly 30+ actress was supposed to be 18," a user took to X, formerly Twitter, to voice his opinion.

However, many of the Student of the Year actress’ die hard fans came to her defense and called out the hypocrisy, with one sarcastically saying, "How can Alia play an 18 year old when she is 33. She should have waited till she was 44 like Aamir was when he played a college student in 3 idiots."

"Y'all have no problem when a 50+ old man romances with 20s actresses or plays a teenager, but when an actress does it it's an issue," another stated.

"There are multiple reasons why Alia doesn't fit the role perfectly but this age reason is the most nonsense one. She can play at 18 years old," another remarked.

"I’ll believe Alia Bhatt is 18 any day before I believe Ranveer Singh was 24 in that Dhurandhar flashback" another supporter said.

"Alia Bhatt can easily pull off the role of an 18YO. Anyone who thinks otherwise needs to get their eyes checked.”

Alpha stands as the first female-led entry in the YRF Spy Universe, which was previously driven by male protagonists, marking a shift with its focus on a female assassin’s origin story and a broader push toward empowerment and diversity, while its “Alpha attitude” marketing aims to connect with younger audiences.

The film is set to hit the big screens on July 3, 2026.