Bringing two convincing action heroes to the big screen takes much more than learning a few fight moves. With Alpha now running in theatres after its release yesterday, the makers have finally offered fans a behind-the-scenes look at the demanding preparation that transformed Alia Bhatt and Sharvari into the YRF Spy Universe's first female action leads.
From year-long fitness sessions to mastering multiple martial arts styles and weapons handling, the duo underwent one of the most intensive training programmes of their careers.
Inside Alpha's fitness journey that lasted over a year
Celebrity fitness trainers Karan Sawhney and Robin Behl recently shared glimpses of the actresses' preparation, revealing that the focus wasn't simply on achieving a lean physique.
Explaining the brief, they said, "Alia and Sharvari were shooting for 10, 12 hours. The brief was simple: they had to be strong, look fit and move well as there was gonna be a lot of action. The action had to look believable and they had to look toned."
Rather than following a short-term transformation plan, the preparation stretched well beyond a year.
Sharing details, the trainers revealed that both actors began with structured strength workouts before gradually progressing into advanced strength-and-conditioning sessions designed to improve stamina, mobility and athletic performance.
“It's a long project. We worked on it for over a year and I think even longer than that,” they added.
The workout programme focused on building real functional strength, endurance and movement rather than just aesthetics, helping the actresses perform demanding action scenes with greater confidence.
Once the fitness foundation was in place, the training expanded beyond traditional workouts.
The trainers explained, "After initial training there were weapons and martial arts involved. A more holistic approach towards training rather than just the one and a half hours, two hours we were spending in the gym."
According to them, the goal was to ensure every punch, kick and action sequence looked authentic on screen instead of relying purely on cinematic tricks.
Mastering 10 martial arts styles & more
Martial arts coach Jessen Noviello, who trained both actresses for the film, also shared behind-the-scenes photos and videos from their action boot camp.
Reflecting on the experience, he wrote, "I had the pleasure of teaching two incredible superstars Alia Bhatt and Sharvari for the first ever female-led action film in the YRF Spy Universe."
He further revealed, "I couldn't be prouder of these two. In just a short period of time we went through an intense training schedule of ten different martial arts styles including weapons. Thank you ladies for your intense focus and dedication throughout this martial arts journey."
Praising their dedication, Noviello added that their discipline and commitment throughout the process made them "perfect students" whose hard work was matched by their humility.
