Operation Valentine Movie Review
Operation Valentine: We are introduced to fighter pilot Arjun Dev, also known as Rudra (Varun Tej), and command center officer Ahaana Gill (Manushi Chhillar) in the movie. Ahaana is usually against Rudra because of his arrogant demeanor and disregard for etiquette when it comes to taking “badla” (revenge) or saving the lives of his friends. Even though they are married, Rudra’s attitude of disobeying convention causes them to argue all the time because they lost their friend Kabir (Navdeep) in Project Vajra.
The plot twists when a suicide bomber in Srinagar, India, smashes his car into a column of Indian security troops, killing forty jawans in a terrorist strike. India organizes a mission to respond after this most deadly strike, in which Rudra, Ahaana, and their allies play a significant part.
Operation Valentine is essentially a narrative that centers on the 2019 Pulwama incident and the Balakot airstrike. Bravo for the idea of showcasing India’s retaliation for one of the most devastating assaults on Indian security personnel. But the problem is that these ideas are becoming overly clichéd. Similar plotlines might be seen in Hrithik Roshan’s Fighter, and the Pulwama incident was even mentioned in the recently published Article 370. This Varun Tej-led aerial action drama falls flat as an audience engagement; the last two flicks were at least entertaining.
The movie appears to be going in circles during the first part of the movie, concentrating more on a side narrative involving Manushi and Varun than on the main theme. Although it’s crucial to provide the main characters with a past, the attempt falls flat and only serves to lengthen the narrative. Because of this, the reason this big-screen entertainment is appropriately named “Operation Valentine” is revealed before half of the audience has lost interest.
This is simply another of the countless patriotic movies that have been out in recent years. While there have been some very excellent ones, this one belongs to the needless, jingoistic Indian film industry.
Operation Valentine Movie: Since most of the movie is either supported by VFX-heavy scenes or scenes taken inside of rooms, Hari K. Vedantam’s cinematography is really standard and, to be honest, didn’t have much scope. The visual effects are badly done; certain scenes almost appear fake. Although a modest budget might have contributed to it, the subpar work nonetheless needs to be acknowledged because it detracted from the movie’s overall quality.
As the brash pilot Rudra, Varun Tej exudes charm and ease. But occasionally, particularly in the poignant moments when he is coping with the sorrow of his comrade’s death, his performance seems forced. When it comes to the overall effect, his performance is shallow and doesn’t engage the audience.
Manushi Chhillar, who plays Aahana, gets a substantial role but doesn’t make much of an impression. She has made some progress in comparison to her earlier roles in Samrat Prithviraj and The Great Indian Family, but she still doesn’t contribute anything noteworthy.
Yash Sharma, played by Paresh Pahuja, performs a passable job and provides lighthearted relief throughout the whole yawnfest. The depictions of the other actors, including Vaibhav Tatwawadi and Ruhani Sharma, are passable.
Singh Shakti Pratap Hada lacks the conviction necessary to handle a topic this significant. Hada is unable to take advantage of the several opportunities for elevation. Operation Valentine becomes dull and uninteresting as he follows the same old, normal pattern of hatred between India and Pakistan. On the big screen, things keep happening, but you usually don’t give a damn.
Sometimes the background music is excessively loud, detracting from the effect of the scenes rather than making them more meaningful. Regarding the soundtrack, all of the songs save for Vande Mataram work well together in the movie. Not a single song makes the playlist when it comes to listening to music exclusively.
All things considered, despite having a compelling plot, Operation Valentine is a yawnfest. Filmmakers who are still considering exploiting the jingoistic Indian vs. Pakistani angle would do well to take note of this.