Arjun Dev, played by Varun Tej, is an Indian Air Force Wing Commander. He loses his good friend Kabir (Navdeep) during the testing of Project Vajra, which was shelved for many years before he rejoins as a test pilot himself. When a terror attack takes place in Srinagar and it’s traced back to Pakistan, IAF plans for a counterstrike. How does India fight back? In what way does Project Vajra help India during this attack? What’s Aahna Gill (Manushi Chhillar)’s connection with these events? Does Arjun win or become a martyr? The film tells us.
Movie Review
It might be hard to keep track of how many Indian films have hopped onto the patriotism bandwagon over the past few years alone — telling stories (real or fictional) where officers are brave and loving your nation above all else is an idea that resonates with audiences. Some have worked wonders at the box office and others died without much noise but they’ve all shown that filmmaking-wise or craft-wise there isn’t much more an artist can bring to such a project than what’s already been served. Operation Valentine glaringly proves this.
Operation Valentine directed by Shakti Pratap Singh is based on true events of Pulwama Attack that happened in February 2019 followed by Balakot air strike retaliation from Indian air force. Arjun is a test pilot with past trauma and reputation while his wife Ahana Gill (Manushi Chhillar) also happens to be his professional partner as well as Wing Commander. Though majorly revolving around these incidents, it also delves into how two officers play key roles in execution of Balakot air strike and subsequent combat.
After taking off slow, unexpectedly around midpoint movie jumps into action straight away – but you’re not even half-way into its running time yet so you’re left wondering what narrative structure could follow such a move. Are they planning on having entire second half centered around aerial action sequences with very little else to tie it together? It’s a huge risk on conceit level.
Sadly, the makers make up for their risk-taking with an exaggerated portrayal of ‘the other side,’ which borders into caricature territory. You want to take Operation Valentine seriously, against your better judgement, but it’s hard not to chuckle when you see them show rival officer playing Candycrush on phone while being on air border patrol duty, or hear background score literally scream ‘jihaad’ in parodically menacing tone every time evil Pakistani character is shown onscreen. Not that one expects painstaking nuance from a film based on events whose authenticity remains questionable at best. But when Indian senior rank official (Shataf Figar) refers to his officers as ‘Vaanar Sena’ who successfully put metaphorical Lanka on fire, it’s difficult not cringe over religious connotations.
It’s such a pity that there isn’t any subtlety on show here because, for a few fleeting moments, it appears as if director Shakti Pratap Singh Hada actually cares about the stealthiness of his movie. Some aerial action sequences in the second half keep you engaged with their slickness and ability to create tension. The narrative impressively blends the catalyst attack on the Indian army with the parallel track of Air Force combat between the two nations as they march ahead trying to make sense of events earlier. For that brief period, Operation Valentine threatens to be a different film not one among those countless ones made in the name of nationalism.
The problem with Operation Valentine is that it doesn’t have enough meat in its script to sustain an engaging two-hour action flick. The makers try their best to turn this into a full-fledged feature but writing lacks novelty or invention to hold one’s attention.
Most tropes are worn out, rebellious yet genius outlier; traumatic past that needs overcoming; stereotypical portrayal of native Kashmiris as these innocent flower-selling victims. There’s also comic jester friend (Paresh Pahuja) who flirts with every woman on radar. His comic interjection moments are so awkwardly punched into narrative that it’s almost like makers are consoling themselves having enough fodder here for wholesome entertainer that it’s not just action and patriotism bombarding our senses (no pun intended). Then there is haggard attempt at establishing personal relationship between our two protagonists Arjun and Ahana, but it leaves neither emotional imprints on narrative nor audience.
A little sidenote: there’s something very discomforting about way Varun Tej approaches this role. In first few sequences we’re handed promise of meeting character who is consistently reminded about his past baggage reason why he hasn’t successfully moved on in life professionally. Potential here to build strong character, but after point Varun Tej decides scowl and just rely on that sole expression to do all the work. Be it rage, curiosity or disappointment it’s hard to tell what’s going on in Arjun’s mind at any point. Manushi Chhillar, on other hand, adds certain understated intensity to her character (if you can move past airbrushed appearance , that is), despite half-heartedly written one. For me most telling moment was when Arjun, in moment of raging desperation, decides attack Pakistan air force jets. He is so uncontrollable that he cannot even listen to Ahana who relentlessly instructing him from ground not disobey further instructions . At that point we are told Varun zoned out due his intensity. As regular filmgoer you hope for character to break out of mould and do something unexpected; want narrative surprise you high time already.
However, the moment Arjun is shouted at by a superior officer of higher rank. In this single moment, everything we know about Arjun shatters because we understand that he can’t rebel against everything and dominate any power. At this moment, we see in him the whole nation which he fights for.
This place makes it difficult to love the personal or champion the political that’s Operation Valentine in a nutshell.
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