Shakti Pratap Singh Hada’s first directorial venture, Operation Valentine, featuring Varun Tej and Manushi Chhillar, delves into the 2019 Pulwama terrorist attack and the subsequent Balakot Air Strikes by the Indian Air Force. Departing from the overtly patriotic tone of similar releases this year like Fighter, this movie stays focused on its core narrative, avoiding excessive jingoism and attempts to provide a decent investigation of the events without succumbing to clichéd themes, thus offering a refreshing take on the subject matter.
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Starting with the sparse positives, Operation Valentine benefits from its tight 130-minute runtime by trimming down unnecessary scenes. Even though the film suffers emotionally, it wisely sidesteps giddy romantic tangents, dance numbers, or unnecessary comedy, preserving its narrative integrity. Its straightforward approach maintains a clear focus on storytelling, allowing the aerial combat scenes to take center stage. By trying to take this approach, it engaged me (for a decent amount of time) while effectively conveying its core message.
Onto the many complaints I had for this film. Operation Valentine mainly suffers from a “strategic” decision to half-ass in both Hindi and Telugu languages, especially while echoing similar themes explored in Fighter (2024). Unlike the cohesive approach of Major (2022), where each scene was shot in both Telugu and Hindi, the dialogue inconsistencies in this film between languages disrupt immersion. The noticeable disparity in actors’ dialogue delivery from the audio coming out from the speakers detracted from emotional resonance. This decision proved detrimental to the film’s overall impact and coherence.
As a result of shooting in both languages, the voice dubbing in Operation Valentine suffers from a lack of nuance and individuality, contemplating a missed opportunity for directorial oversight by Hada. The generic delivery (which I do not agree is the voice actor’s fault) highlights the significance of meticulous attention to detail in maintaining audience immersion.
Among the entire cast, Manushi Chhillar stands out and shines with her subtle yet captivating portrayal, elevating her character with a serene presence on screen. Varun Tej delivers a decent performance but lacks the depth required for the role. But again, director Hada’s inability to elicit strong performances from the supporting cast detracts from the overall impact of this action-thriller.
While budget constraints may have influenced certain technical aspects, Operation Valentine falls short in terms of visual effects, lacking the polish expected of a modern production. The sound design and background score from Mickey J. Meyer, although potentially impactful, are disappointingly bland, failing to enhance the thrilling sequences as intended.
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Operation Valentine presents a compelling storyline and offers a unique perspective within the vast landscape of Telugu Cinema. While watchable, its technical shortcomings, particularly in VFX, and the decision to balance a feeble seesaw of Telugu and Hindi languages detract from its impact. Despite a strong narrative foundation, the film’s potential is undercut by questionable directorial and production decisions.
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