Operation Valentine Movie Review: Operation Valentine is a pulse-pounding action drama, inspired by the ruthless killing of 40 Indian soldiers by Pakistani forces in Kashmir’s Pulwama in 2019 — and Indian Air Force’s retaliation. But these come just before the curtains fall for intermission, which is a good 60 minutes into the movie with a run time of 130. Helmed by Shakti Pratap Singh Hada, this film in Hindi and Telugu (mercifully with English subtitles) does avoid some of the pitfalls of popular, market-driven cinema.
Varun Tej, who headlines the primary character, Indian Air Force officer Arjun Rudra Dev Singhania, has toned down his heroic demeanour. We see a rather subdued Varun; Arjun may be prone to irritability, temper and a raging passion to right what he considers wrongs, but he is never allowed to go overboard. A little too wooden though, for my liking.
Operation Valentine, the code name for the India’s attack on Pakistan’s Balakot, is full of daredevil stunts by Indian fighter jets – a good measure of computer graphics – which interestingly does not look like computer graphics. At least not quite.
Where the movie falters is its tendency to stray from the focal point. Hada, who has written the script with others, weaves into the narrative, rather clumsily, a story between Arjun and Aahana Gill (played to a degree of authenticity by Manushi Chhillar, her pleasing looks helping her along). They are not lovers really, but husband and wife. She, also part of the Indian Air Force, lives the life of a nervous wreck, given his callous actions, which once very nearly costs him his life. A rebel, he is, as his boss quips, “a pain in the ass”.
Admittedly, we have had great love stories from Hollywood that have unfolded against the backdrop of great wars. Gone with the Wind is an endearing romance that takes place during the American Civil War, Casablanca at the time of World War II. But they were never promoted as war movies, Operation Valentine is. And of course, there is a fair deal of Pakistan bashing, but unlike some other films, this is more subtle and avoids demonising our neighbour – to a large extent. A good turn.
Operation Valentine has its moments, and these keep the film flying along with the jets as they move in and out of clouds weaving their way through icy mountain peaks. Impressive photography by Hari K Vedantam.
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