Varun Tej’s Operation Valentine is all set to grace the big screens on 1st March. The movie is based on the Pulwama attack, and it features Manushi Chhillar as the female lead. The movie is produced by Sony Pictures International Productions, Siddhu Mudda’s Renaissance Pictures, and co-produced by God Bless Entertainment (Vakil Khan) and Nandakumar Abbineni. Ahead of the release, producers Siddhu and Nandakumar interacted with the media, and here is the transcript.
How did the project commence?
We saw the director’s short film and liked it. Varun Tej also loved that short film, and we planned to make it a full-length feature film. We even liked Shakti Pratap Singh’s story and we didn’t take much time to take the movie on floors. As Sony Pictures joined us, we made it with solid technical values in Telugu and Hindi.
Wasn’t it risky to hand over such a war film to a new director?
Shakti Pratap Singh has full clarity, and his vision is clear. Shakti Pratap knows what he wants and has good command over VFX. After Fighter, this is the only movie in India to come in the aerial action space. He handled the movie superbly. The movie came out extremely well. We shot the movie at Gwalior Air Base. Hence, the visuals are natural and effective.
What was the reaction of Air Force officers after watching the film?
They are highly satisfied with the way the film is made. They supported us immensely during the shoot. It was a different experience shooting in a real air base. We made this movie to recall the sacrifices made by our Indian soldiers. We now feel that more such real incidents about soldiers should be presented on the big screen.
This movie marks Varun Tej’s Bollywood debut. How are the promotions happening there?
We promoted the movie very well there. Varun Tej Garu participated in many interviews in Bollywood, and we are getting a very good response. We are planning to screen premiers as well.
How was it working with Sony Pictures?
Theirs is corporate culture. As I come from an IT background, I have a thorough knowledge of the way things happen in corporate companies. Working with Sony Pictures is a different experience.
Tell us about Manushi Chhillar’s role in the film.
Her role is very vital to the story. Patriotism is one aspect of the film. The relationship between the characters played by Varun Tej and Manushi Chhillar forms a significant part of the narrative.