There has never been a film or tale set in Telugu cinema that dealt with the Indian Air Force or their combat operations. Because to its intriguing premise and eye-catching teaser, “Operation Valentine” has successfully attracted viewers.
In the Indian Air Force, Arjun Dev and his wife Ahana Gill are wing commanders, played by Varun Tej and Manushi Chhillar, respectively. Before other troops use military aircraft, Arjun puts them through their paces as a test pilot.
Arjun comes up with Project Vajra, a plan to avoid enemy radar that involves flying low to the earth. The terrible loss of Arjun and Ahana’s close buddy Navdeep during their test trip puts a strain on their relationship.
If Arjun continues to work on that project, Ahana warns him, they will end their relationship. In response to terrorist assaults in Jammu and Kashmir carried out by Pakistan, which claimed the lives of forty CRPF jawans, the Indian government and the Indian Air Force decided to launch airstrikes on terrorist camps in Pakistan.
Arjun needs to move forward with Project Vajra with the help of Ahana, the radar commander. In what ways was Arjun able to lead the Indian Air Force to victory in this mission?
A pilot with the Indian Air Force would be a perfect match for Varun Tej. Varun Tej gives a convincing performance as the Air Force officer, and his “cutout” alone is enough to make the audience believe him. He excels at emotional sequences as well. Manushi Chhillar, in her role as another Air Force officer, is meticulous in her work.
However, as the main couple or husband and wife, they have virtually no chemistry.
You might not see Navdeep’s cameo appearance unless you blink very quickly. There isn’t much for Ruhani Sharma to do. All of Paresh Pahuja’s jokes about being romantic fail miserably.
Incredibly high-quality cinematography by Hari Vedantam. Impressive action choreography, especially in the air battles and bombings. I really like the visual effects.
The success of the picture hinges on its cinematography and action sequences, and the technical crew has done a great job with both. Not much happens when Mickey J. Meyer plays music.
Review of the Film
The Pulwama Attack, one of the deadliest terrorist attacks in India, and the accompanying airstrikes against Pakistani terrorist groups are the main subjects of “Operation Valentine,” the debut feature film by director Shakti Pratap Singh.
In a show of firm response, the Indian Air Force launched these bombings with the support of the Indian government and prime minister. The film makes indirect allusions to real-life events, rather than citing them explicitly.
All Indians may relate to the main plot since it is nationalistic. Having said that, the script by Shakti Pratap Singh is mostly disjointed, especially in the film’s uninteresting first half.
The video mostly focusses on the circumstances leading up to the Pulwama attack in the opening section, but its main focus is on the Air Force pilots’ performance throughout daring attacks and operations.
The film opens at an airfield and delves into the marital strife between Varun Tej and Manushi’s characters.
There is a lot of sloppiness in this scene. The scenes showing Varun Tej and Manushi’s romance taste more like a Hollywood production than an Indian one. They don’t come across as a married pair; their exchanges are more akin to those between police officers than the normal Indian couple. At first, the audience isn’t interested because of the narrative’s back-and-forth.
But the narration picks up right before halftime and keeps us engaged well into the second half. The airstrikes and what happens after the interval are the best parts of the film.
The filmmaker does an excellent job of showcasing the fiercest aerial assaults that India has ever seen. The majority of the film is emotionally flat and uninteresting, but these scenes make up for it.
Actors Sampath Raj and Ruhani Sharma, among others, have underdeveloped character arcs in the script, which makes it feel repetitive.
Despite a strong introduction, Ruhani Sharma’s character gets little screen time in subsequent episodes. The character of Yash Sharma, played by Paresh, and his jokes could hit home with Hindi viewers, but in the Telugu rendition, they seem like your average dubbed-movie humour. Also, the patriotic fervour that should be there in Sai Madhav Burra’s discourse is absent; for example, the line “Emi Jarigina Sare Choosukundam” fails to make an impression.
Despite offering exciting aerial adventure, “Operation Valentine” falls short of its potential, making it the first Telugu airforce drama of its kind. Aside from the beginning’s corny narration, the film fails to provide the necessary emotional depth. Aside from the unusual setup, the best parts of the film are the second half’s graphics and airstrikes.
Movie: Operation Valentine
Rating: 3/5
Cast: Varun Tej, Manushi Chhillar, Ruhani Sharma, Navdeep, Paresh Pahuja, Sampath Raj and others
Screenplay: Shakti Pratap Singh Hada, Aamir Khan, Siddharth Rajkumar
Dialogues: Sai Madhav Burra
Music: Mickey J Meyer
DOP: Hari K Vedantam
Editor: Navin Nooli
Production Designer: Avinash Kolla
Action: Vijay
Producers: Sony Pictures & Sandeep Mudda
Directed by: Shakti Pratap Singh Hada
Release Date: March 01, 2024