Alia Bhatt's latest espionage thriller, "Alpha," is struggling significantly at the box office, having accumulated a modest ₹44.95 crore net in India over its first six days. The film, part of Yash Raj Films' (YRF) Spy Universe, saw a sharp 32.9% drop in its single-day India earnings on its first Wednesday, signaling alarm bells for trade analysts.
The film's daily collections have been inconsistent, with an opening Friday of ₹9.25 crore, followed by ₹11.50 crore on Saturday and ₹13.25 crore on Sunday. However, weekday numbers plummeted, recording ₹3.85 crore on Monday, ₹4.25 crore on Tuesday, and a mere ₹2.85 crore on Wednesday. Overall occupancy across its shows remained below 10%, peaking at 12.46% during night screenings.
"Alpha" Declared a "Big Flop" by Analysts
Film trade analyst Nishit Shaw critically assessed the film's performance, stating, "Alpha is heading towards becoming a BIG FLOP. Another MAJOR FAILURE from Yash Raj Films after War 2." Shaw emphasized the need for YRF to improve its writing for the Spy Universe and suggested that the franchise relies heavily on mega-stars like Shah Rukh Khan or Salman Khan for significant box office success, implying budgets must be managed more wisely in their absence.
"Dhamaal 4" Poses New Threat
Adding to "Alpha"'s woes, the upcoming release of Ajay Devgn-led comedy "Dhamaal 4" is set to further impact its screen count and audience share. "Dhamaal 4" has already shown strong early interest, securing ₹5.29 crore in advance bookings on Wednesday alone, with significant contributions from major metropolitan areas including NCR, Mumbai, Hyderabad, and Bengaluru.
Analyst Sumit Kadel echoed concerns, noting, "Alpha is struggling badly on weekdays, virtually sealing its fate at the box office. With Dhamaal 4 arriving this Friday, the film will lose a significant number of screens and shows in Week 2." Kadel predicted that "Alpha"'s first week would likely conclude with a disappointing ₹43 crore nett in India.
About "Alpha"
Directed by Shiv Rawail and written by Uday Chopra, "Alpha" tells the story of a young girl rigorously trained from childhood to become a lethal super-soldier and assassin. Besides Alia Bhatt in the lead, the film features a notable cast including Sharvari, Bobby Deol, Anil Kapoor, and Hrithik Roshan in pivotal roles.