The clock is ticking on Telugu star Varun Tej’s upcoming film Operation Valentine, an Indian movie that promises mind-blowing aerial action. Only a few days are left before the film’s release, and its makers are rigorously promoting it. The movie was simultaneously shot in Hindi and Telugu, and it marks Tej’s debut in Bollywood. From cast to plot, here are all the details about Operation Valentine.
Operation Valentine cast, plot, runtime and more
Opposite Varun Tej, actress, model, and former Miss World Manushi Chhillar is making her Telugu debut. She is playing the role of a radar operator in the film and Tej’s love interest. Navdeep, Ruhani Sharma, and Mir Sarwar have been roped in to play supporting roles. The film’s ensemble cast seems to be a strong one.
Operation Valentine follows the lives of the Indian Air Force personnel and how they operate in their day-to-day lives. While it is based on the country’s biggest airstrike, it also focuses on the emotional balance that the IAF officers have to maintain during their missions.
During an interview with Pinkvilla, Varun Tej teased some details about the film’s plot. He said, “I think for me with Operation Valentine, it is that emotion that an Air Force pilot goes through. The thing is, even though it is based on a true event, that is not what we are trying to focus on. We are trying to show how the lives of IAF personnel are and how they function on a day-to-day basis, especially around this incident or during that phase. So, that straight-up emotion, it’s the conflict of the film, it’s definitely how passionate a director is about making this and obviously about playing an Air Force pilot was something very exciting for me as an actor.”
The movie’s locked runtime is 2 hours and 13 minutes.
What is Varun Tej’s new movie based on?
Operation Valentine is based on the Balakot airstrike of 2019. The airstrike on February 26 was the retaliation of the Indian defense forces against the Pulwama attack of February 14, 2019. In the attack, over 40 Indian CRPF personnel were killed. The Indian defense forces’ vehicles were attacked by a vehicle-borne suicide bomber in the Pulwama district.
While fans are eager to watch the movie that is bringing the true incident to the big screen, Telugu star Chiranjeevi is also rooting for it. During the film’s pre-release event, the Telugu megastar said, “Varun Tej requested me to attend this event, which highlights the sacrifices made by our real-life heroes. I said yes without even thinking for a minute. They told me that the film is about the Pulwama attack in which 40 CRPF soldiers were martyred. Operation Valentine is about the retaliation done by our Indian Air Force as a tribute to those soldiers.” As per 123telugu.com, the actor further emphasized the importance of such movies to work well. Moreover, he appreciated the reasonable budget and the 75-day shoot schedule on which the movie was made.
Operation Valentine is widely being compared to Hrithik Roshan’s recently released film Fighter. Addressing the same, as per 123telugu.com, director Shakti Pratap Singh Hada said, “Ours is a movie about the Indian Air Force. I haven’t seen Fighter. I am sure we are bringing a unique perspective to the audience. Whatever we are showing in our film happens very commonly in the Air Force. But not many people know about it. Operation Valentine is not just about action. It explores the camaraderie and relationship among Air Force pilots.”
Operation Valentine is scheduled to hit the theaters on March 1.
