While social media has been quick to compare the two action films, the comparison overlooks one crucial fact: they are trying to achieve completely different things.

At first glance, both are high-profile action entertainers featuring some of Bollywood's biggest stars. But beyond that, their storytelling philosophies, visual language and filmmaking approach are worlds apart.

Dhurandhar vs Alpha

Dhurandhar adopts a gritty, grounded style that prioritises realism. Its action is designed to feel raw, brutal and believable, placing the audience inside a dangerous world where violence has weight and consequences. The film relies on muted visuals, restrained performances and an immersive atmosphere rather than spectacle. It shares more DNA with films like Zero Dark Thirty, Sicario or The Bourne Ultimatum, where tension comes from authenticity instead of larger-than-life heroics.

© Jio Studios

Alpha, on the other hand, never set out to be that kind of film. As part of the YRF Spy Universe, it follows a cinematic template already established by Ek Tha Tiger, Tiger Zinda Hai, War, Pathaan and Tiger 3. These films have always embraced stylish action, glamorous locations, elaborate set-pieces and larger-than-life heroes capable of pulling off seemingly impossible missions. In that sense, Alpha belongs in the same space as the Mission: Impossible franchise, where spectacle, scale and entertainment often take precedence over realism.

© YRF

That franchise connection also places creative boundaries on Alpha. Unlike Dhurandhar, which had the freedom to define its own tone, Alpha had to fit into an already established cinematic universe with its own visual identity, storytelling rhythm and audience expectations. A grounded espionage thriller would have felt out of place alongside the films that came before it.

Neither approach is inherently superior. Cinema has always made room for both grounded thrillers and stylised action spectacles. Mission: Impossible and Zero Dark Thirty can coexist because they serve different audiences despite sharing the espionage genre. The same applies to Alpha and Dhurandhar.

Rather than asking which film is 'better,' it makes more sense to judge each on whether it successfully delivers the experience it promises. After all, comparing two films solely because they feature action is like comparing a Formula 1 race to a rally championship; both involve speed, but they play by entirely different rules.