Actor Bobby Deol has officially shut down the internet chatter regarding a supposed fallout with co-star Alia Bhatt on the set of Yash Raj Films’ upcoming thriller Alpha. The rumor mill has been hyper-fixated on the production for weeks, largely because the project marks a significant franchise pivot as the YRF Spy Universe’s first female-led installment. Speculation originating from social media blind items alleged that an A-list actress was altering script beats, leading to frustration from a senior actor playing the film’s antagonist.
Deol addressed the controversy directly during a recent appearance on India TV’s Aap Ki Adalat. He revealed that he was completely unaware of the alleged tension until someone else pointed it out to him. “Mujhe bhi ek dost ne bheja uss rumour ka snapshot. Main bhi hairaan ho gaya. Log itne velle hai ki kuch bhi likh ke bana dete hai,” (Even I was shocked when a friend sent me a snapshot of this rumour. People have so much free time that they make up and write anything), he stated.
Far from a hostile set environment, Deol went out of his way to praise his co-star. He dismissed the notion of any friction, according to India Today, commending Bhatt’s intense dedication and thorough preparation for the film’s complex physical fight sequences. He also took aim at a secondary rumor claiming he was so dissatisfied with his screen time being overshadowed that studio head Aditya Chopra had to offer him a separate film as compensation. Deol firmly denied this, noting that 90 percent of the stories circulating on Instagram are simply untrue.
Directed by Shiv Rawail, Alpha serves as the seventh entry in the blockbuster universe that houses War, Pathaan, and the Tiger franchise. The film repositions the standard formula by having its protagonist operate as a morally grey assassin rather than a traditional patriotic spy.
The stakes for the release are coming into sharper focus. While the film was initially slated for July 10, industry reports suggest the theatrical window may be advancing to early July, as noted by Bollywood Hungama. If the makers confirm this shift to July 3, it sets up a highly specific box office clash with Huma Qureshi’s Baby Do Die Do, another upcoming project centered entirely around a desi female hitwoman.