Operation Valentine (film)

Operation Valentine is a 2024 Indian action drama film based on the 2019 Pulwama Attack and the retaliatory Balakot Air Strikes of 2019 by the Indian Air Force directed by Shakti Pratap Singh Hada, in his directorial debut, and produced by Sony Pictures and Sandeep Mudda, with co-production by God Bless Entertainment and Nandkumar Abbineni. It was shot simultaneously in Telugu and Hindi. It stars Varun Tej, Manushi Chhillar, Navdeep and Mir Sarwar in pivotal roles. It marks the Hindi film debut of Tej and the Telugu film debut for Chhillar. The film was released in theaters worldwide on 1 March 2024 to mixed reviews from critics and the audience.

Production
Completing its third schedule on 14 August 2023, the makers officially revealed its title as Operation Valentine. This bilingual project is set for a release in both Telugu and Hindi.

On 19 October 2023, the makers announced principal photography of the film was wrapped up.

Soundtrack
The soundtrack and background score were composed by Mickey J. Meyer. Saregama acquired the audio rights. The film's first single, "Vande Mataram," was unveiled at the Wagah Border.

Release
It was originally scheduled for a theatrical release on 8 December 2023, but was rescheduled to 16 February 2024, owing to a delay in post-production work. Later, the film was released on 1 March 2024 in theaters worldwide.

The film's post-theatrical streaming rights were acquired by Amazon Prime Video, and the film started streaming on Prime from 22 March 2024.

Reception
Operation Valentine received mixed reviews.

Arjun Menon of Rediff.com gave 3/5 stars and notes "Operation Valentine follows the templates of similar air force narratives to deliver some rousing, harmless fun time."

Paul Nicodemus of The Times of India also rated 3.0 out of 5 stars and stated that "Operation Valentine is a respectful nod to the bravery of the Indian Air Force, offering audiences a mix of action, patriotism, and drama. While it may not reach the emotional or cinematic heights of its preceding aerial combat and air force films, it remains a decent watch for its spirited portrayal of heroism and sacrifice in the face of adversity."

Sangeetha Devi Dundoo of The Hindu writes that the writing "fails to offer anything new", with an underwritten relationship between the lead actors, and forgettable characters. Raghu Bandi of The Indian Express gave the film 1.5/5 stars, writing that the film "lacks a human story", "graphic work appears patchy" and production values leave a lot to be desired", while praising Varun Tej's performance. The New Indian Express gave the film 2/5 stars, criticising the writing, stating that it "doesn’t have the novelty or invention to grab our attention". The review displays disappointment with Varun Tej's acting, calling it discomforting, while remarking that Chhillar brings "a certain understated intensity to her character" despite the poorly-written role.