Patriotism is its own form of romance: Operation Valentine star Varun Tej

In Operation Valentine, Varun Tej plays an officer of the Indian Air Force. He perhaps has earned himself the unusual distinction of being the go-to Telugu actor for films that feature a man in uniform with films like Kanche (2015), where he played an army officer from the 20th century and his most recent film Gandeevadhari Arjuna, where he plays a soldier-turned-intelligence officer-turned-mercenary. The actor is also at a new crossroads in his career, with Operation Valentine heading for a bilingual release in Hindi and Telugu, while Matka, his upcoming film, is also announced to be a pan-India release. Unlike most other pre-release interviews, Varun Tej peppered his press interaction with love and admiration for the Air Force.

Selected Excerpts:

Since you have been exposed to the Army through Kanche and now the Air Force with Operation Valentine, it is safe to assume you know more about our armed forces than most people. If you had to choose one force that is closest to your heart, what would that be?


The Air Force. No hesitation there for me. Make no mistake, the Army and the Navy do a great deal of service to the country, but I would pick the Air Force for this one reason. Unlike the other forces, the Air Force spends most of their money on machines. Very little funds are allocated for personnel. The fact that they work with the same dedication as the Army and the Navy, despite getting less funds for their welfare, is extremely commendable.

Operation Valentine is an interesting title for a film…

The Pulwama attacks, which our film is based on, took place on February 14, 2019. The Indian Air Force decided to strike Balakot in Pakistan shortly after that. The operation they undertake in the film is titled Operation Valentine, which also corresponds with the date of the attacks. The title also has an added layer of significance because we wanted to display patriotism as a form of romance. The love our troops feel for the country is far greater than the love humans feel for each other. That is how the title came about. It also creates an interesting resonance with the audience, since no one would otherwise take the words operation and valentine in the same breath.

Telugu people are usually not known to enlist in the armed forces. Did you ever feel that Operation Valentine might be a risky sell because of this?

During our research, we interacted with a lot of Air Force officers, and I was pleasantly surprised by the number of Telugu officers we saw. And as far as risk is concerned, everything in cinema is a risk. Operation Valentine is a story with a universal appeal. We believe that our story holds the potential to appeal to everyone.

What was it like to observe Air Force officers in close quarters?

Very humbling and inspiring. When we read or hear about these men in uniform, we come across such glorified narratives of their valour. While it is all well justified, they are so much more jovial and light-hearted in real life. When we asked them the secret behind their ever-cheery disposition, they revealed that it is a mindful choice on their part. Their lives are so fraught with risk. They know they can die anytime. In such circumstances, they know it is best not to get worked up on trivial matters. It was a revelation for all of us. We do not need to spend so much time in our lives getting worried. A lot of our worries are not as important or damaging as we think they are, that is what the Air Force taught me.


What kind of challenges did you face while shooting for Operation Valentine?

I am used to the VFX since I have worked on Antariksham 9000KM (2018). It was a challenge back then for me, to imagine I was in space, while I was in a studio wallpapered with green screens. Before going on floors, I also had the opportunity to practice maneuvering an aircraft using one of the simulators that are used by Air Force officers in real-time for training. One of the biggest challenges for me was to convey my emotions while my face was mostly covered. In the scenes where I am manning an aircraft, only my eyes are visible. To be able to show tension and other emotions visibly was a challenge.

The film will also be released in Hindi. Did you dub for your own lines in the film?

I can speak some basic Hindi but it wasn’t enough for doing an entire film in Hindi. I took diction classes for two months before the film went on floors. My director was also particular about getting the diction right. I have dubbed for my lines but I was told that some dialogues in the film were re-dubbed again by a voice artist. I haven’t seen the Hindi version yet, so I don’t know much about whose voice went more into the final cut.

How did your family members react to your role?

I met Kalyan babai (Pawan Kalyan) after the film’s teaser was released. He usually says nothing more than a “good, good” when I show him my work but he is very enthusiastic about Operation Valentine. He told me that he is looking forward to the film. I usually never invite peddananna (Chiranjeevi) to my film events but this time, I reached out to him and asked if he could attend my pre-release event. He had enthusiastically agreed to the same.

Could you speak a bit about your upcoming film Matka?

We have just wrapped a schedule. I am very enthusiastic about the project since I have never played a character with grey shades before. The film displays the flip side of gambling, and how it wrecks families. In addition to being a period film based on true events, it is also a solid commercial drama about a man’s redemption.

Have you signed any other projects?

We live in an era where quality matters more than quantity so I would rather wait than do a film for the sake of maintaining some momentum. I have heard some OTT scripts from nearly all the major players, but it is a long process and I am just waiting for the stories to develop right now. I am also on the lookout for an interesting cop drama, a story that will gaze into the system in a new light.