'Operation Valentine' has no jingoism like 'Fighter,' says Varun Tej
Following Siddharth Anand's Fighter, another high-flying action film is on the horizon—Operation Valentine, featuring Varun Tej and Manushi Chhillar. Directed by debutant Shakti Pratap Singh Hada, the film is based on true events surrounding Indian Air Force (IAF) officers. Since the announcement of the project, comparisons have arisen between Fighter and Operation Valentine, particularly concerning allegations of jingoism and anti-Pakistan sentiments. In a recent interview, Tej addressed these distinctions.
'Operation Valentine' centers around the personal journey of IAF officers
In a conversation with Zoom, Tej highlighted the distinctions between the two films. He explained: "It's halfway through the shoot that we got to know that multiple projects were being made (on the same subject)." "Our idea was to take a very realistic approach...It is not just about the war situation, it is about the pilots, their families, about what they go through, and about how their mental state is." "We have tapped into the emotional angle also," he added.
'We knew from the beginning that we were apart'
Varun addressed comparisons with Fighter, stating, "We knew from the beginning that we were apart (from Fighter). They took a different route and we took a different approach." He added that there was no pressure as they never compared themselves to others. Varun also mentioned that the emergence of films like Fighter and Kangana Ranaut-led Tejas focusing on aerial action and the Air Force gave them confidence in their project.
'Operation Valentine' steers clear of jingoism: Tej
Regarding Fighter being labeled as jingoistic and anti-Pakistan, Varun shared that OV doesn't follow that path. He said, "If we are basing it on a true event, we know who was responsible for it. However, it was not to show an entire country in a bad light but to show a few people who were behind the incident that happened in 2019." "You cannot blame an entire country," he added. The film is slated for a March 1 release.
When Anand responded on 'Fighter' being 'excessively jingoistic'
Denying claims that his film Fighter is anti-Pakistan or "excessively jingoistic," Anand previously stated in an interview, "I think I would call it more nationalistic than jingoistic." "Some things are just being taken out of context." Emphasizing his desire to avoid unnecessary controversies, he clarified, "I don't want to spur a lot of unnecessary controversies. Fighter is a happy Indian film. Bharat ki film hai (It's a patriotic film)."
Revisiting plotline: This is what happens in 'Fighter'
In Fighter, the storyline centers around the Air Dragons—an Air Force unit formed in response to a terrorist threat targeting the Srinagar base camp. Led by Rocky (Anil Kapoor), the team includes Patty (Hrithik Roshan), Minni (Deepika Padukone), Taj (Karan Singh Grover), and others. The movie depicts the Pulwama attack by Jaish-e-Mohammed, followed by India's Balakot airstrike. Subsequently, the narrative unfolds with another air battle between the neighboring countries.