In April 2026, Alia Bhatt and Salman Khan won`t face off at the movie office. The actress`s next picture, Alpha, will now be released on a different date, according to the film`s producers. There will soon be a new release date for the film, which was originally scheduled to open in theaters on April 17.
Alpha`s release date gets moved
The decision was made to prevent a conflict with Salman Khan`s Battle of Galwan, trade expert Taran Adarsh disclosed on his X (previously Twitter) account on Saturday.
“Breaking News… ‘ALPHA’ AVOIDS CLASH WITH ‘BATTLE OF GALWAN’ – YRF TO DECIDE ON NEW DATE… Aditya Chopra steps aside for Salman Khan, moving Alpha from its earlier announced release date of 17 April 2026 to avoid a direct clash with Battle Of Galwan,” he wrote.
#BreakingNews… `ALPHA` AVOIDS CLASH WITH `BATTLE OF GALWAN` – YRF TO DECIDE ON NEW DATE… #AdityaChopra steps aside for #SalmanKhan, moving #Alpha from its earlier announced release date of 17 April 2026 to avoid a direct clash with #BattleOfGalwan.#YRF had locked 17 April… pic.twitter.com/BF3QElleC2
— taran adarsh (@taran_adarsh) December 27, 2025
“YRF had locked 17 April 2026 for Alpha, but the makers will now announce a new release date after assessing the theatrical release calendar over the next couple of months,” the trade analyst further added.
Alpha has been delayed before. The movie was initially scheduled to release in theaters on Christmas 2025. However, because the creators were still working on it, it was postponed until April 2026.
In addition to Alia Bhatt, Bobby Deol and Sharvari play significant parts in YRF`s Alpha. In the post-credit scene of War 2, fans saw a peek of Alpha. Bobby Deol made an unexpected arrival on the scene, officially entering the Spy Universe. In the scene, he was seen stamping an agency`s emblem on a young girl`s hand. Bobby`s character said, “Alpha,” in response to the girl`s question about what it meant. He clarified that their film`s motto is Alpha, which is the first letter of the Greek alphabet: “The first, the fastest, the strongest.”
Netizens react to the shift in date
Fans were quick to react to the news, a user wrote, “Bollywood diplomacy unlocked. Alpha politely steps aside so Battle Of Galwan can walk in first. Aditya Chopra chooses peace over box office bloodbath. April 17, 2026 vacated. New date loading. Because even spy universes know, never clash with Salman Khan.” Another one added, “Big studios rarely step back unless the stakes are huge. This move says a lot about Salman Khan’s box-office pull and YRF’s strategy. Smart decision or missed opportunity for a mega clash?”