Alpha action director defends Alia, says she went above and beyond
Alpha action director Craig Macrae praised Alia Bhatt and Sharvari for their rigorous preparation for the film. He said their discipline gave the stunt team freedom to design more demanding action sequences.
As Alpha gears up for its theatrical release, the film's action director, Craig Macrae, has praised Alia Bhatt's commitment behind the scenes, saying her work ethic "sets her apart" and teasing that audiences should "expect the unexpected" from her in the action thriller.
His comments came days after Alia's action sequences in the film's trailer drew mixed reactions online, with a section of social media users trolling the actor over the high-octane stunts.
Macrae, who has previously worked with international action stars such as Charlize Theron and Milla Jovovich, said Alia's dedication throughout the film's preparation stood out and would translate into a powerful on-screen performance.
"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," he said.
The action director added that Alia's preparation extended well beyond mastering the film's stunt sequences.
"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 said.
Craig Mcrae praises Sharvari
Macrae also commended Sharvari, saying both actors invested months of effort into their physical conditioning, combat training and stunt work.
"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.
According to Macrae, their willingness to train extensively gave the action team greater creative freedom while designing the film's hand-to-hand combat sequences.
He said the duo's preparation allowed the stunt team to push the action further, confident that both actors could execute physically demanding choreography while maintaining authenticity on screen.
All about Shiv Rawail's Alpha
The recently released trailer introduces Alia as Sita, a highly trained assassin raised and built to kill. She goes head-to-head with her mentor-turned-foe, played by Bobby Deol, who essays the film's primary antagonist. Packed with high-octane action, slick visuals and globe-trotting espionage, Alpha positions itself as a full-fledged spy entertainer, with Alia and Sharvari leading the charge as the franchise's first female spies.
Watch the trailer here:
Produced by Yash Raj Films and directed by Shiv Rawail, Alpha stars Alia Bhatt and Sharvari in the lead and is scheduled to release in theatres worldwide on July 3, 2026.
As Alpha gears up for its theatrical release, the film's action director, Craig Macrae, has praised Alia Bhatt's commitment behind the scenes, saying her work ethic "sets her apart" and teasing that audiences should "expect the unexpected" from her in the action thriller.
His comments came days after Alia's action sequences in the film's trailer drew mixed reactions online, with a section of social media users trolling the actor over the high-octane stunts.
Macrae, who has previously worked with international action stars such as Charlize Theron and Milla Jovovich, said Alia's dedication throughout the film's preparation stood out and would translate into a powerful on-screen performance.
"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," he said.
The action director added that Alia's preparation extended well beyond mastering the film's stunt sequences.
"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 said.
Craig Mcrae praises Sharvari
Macrae also commended Sharvari, saying both actors invested months of effort into their physical conditioning, combat training and stunt work.
"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.
According to Macrae, their willingness to train extensively gave the action team greater creative freedom while designing the film's hand-to-hand combat sequences.
He said the duo's preparation allowed the stunt team to push the action further, confident that both actors could execute physically demanding choreography while maintaining authenticity on screen.
All about Shiv Rawail's Alpha
The recently released trailer introduces Alia as Sita, a highly trained assassin raised and built to kill. She goes head-to-head with her mentor-turned-foe, played by Bobby Deol, who essays the film's primary antagonist. Packed with high-octane action, slick visuals and globe-trotting espionage, Alpha positions itself as a full-fledged spy entertainer, with Alia and Sharvari leading the charge as the franchise's first female spies.
Watch the trailer here:
Produced by Yash Raj Films and directed by Shiv Rawail, Alpha stars Alia Bhatt and Sharvari in the lead and is scheduled to release in theatres worldwide on July 3, 2026.
