Sony Pictures International Productions and Renaissance Pictures’ Operation Valentine (UA) is yet another film about the enmity between India and Pakistan.
Arjun Dev (Varun Tej) is a wing commander in the Indian Air Force. He heads Project Vajra to kill the enemy in Pakistan. Aahna Gill (Manushi Chhillar) is also in the IAF. Arjun and Aahna love each other.
Shakti Pratap Singh Hada’s story is just about okay and doesn’t really excite the viewers. The screenplay, penned by Shakti Pratap Singh Hada, Aamir Nahid Khan and Siddharth Rajkumar, is ordinary and routine. The drama fails to arouse patriotic feelings among the viewers and that’s quite a drawback. Romance is so-so. Comedy is conspicuous by its absence. Even the tension in the drama is not too palpable. Vaibhav Vishal’s dialogues, with additional dialogues by Aamir Nahid Khan, are only fair.
Varun Tej is alright as IAF wing commander Arjun Dev. Manushi Chhillar is okay as IAF wing commander Aahna Gill. Paresh Pahuja lends fair support as squadron leader Yash. Ruhani Sharma is so-so as squadron leader Tanya Sharma. She gets limited scope. Navdeep is average in a tiny role as Kabir. Shataf Figar passes muster as Rajeev Bakshi. Sampath Raj is adequate as air commander Mayank Mhatre. Vaibhav Tatwawadi is fair in the role of Pakistani wing commander Shaheen. Abhinav Gomatam is routine as Dhruv. Ashwath Bhatt is ordinary as the Pakistani army general. Ali Reza passes muster as Rishi Khanna. Others fit the bill.
Shakti Pratap Singh Hada’s direction is not too impressive. Mickey J. Meyer’s music is fair. Kumaar’s lyrics are okay. Viswa Raghu’s choreography is nothing to shout about. Mickey J. Meyer’s background music is functional. Hari K. Vedantam’s camerawork is appealing. Vijay and Natraj’s action and stunt scenes don’t afford nail-biting thrill. Avinash Kolla’s production designing is proper. Navin Nooli’s editing leaves something to be desired.
On the whole, Operation Valentine is a dull fare and a non-starter.
Released on 1-3-’24 at Inox (daily 2 shows) and other cinemas of Bombay by Sony Pictures Films India Pvt. Ltd. Publicity: dull. Opening: poor. …….Also released all over. Opening was dull everywhere.