The official reason for the delay in the project is attributed to the ongoing VFX work.
Published Feb 01, 2024 | 5:54 PM ⚊ Updated Feb 01, 2024 | 5:54 PM
A poster of the film 'Operation Valentine'. (X)
Mega boy Varun Tej is currently facing a string of challenges in his career.
F3 (2022), the sequel to the successful F2 (2019) franchise, did not reach the fans’ expectations.
Next, his solo venture — Gandivadhari Arjuna (2023) turned out to be the biggest disaster of his career.
Adding to his woes, the highly-anticipated film Operation Valentine, produced by Bollywood’s Sony Pictures, is yet to see the light of the day.
Initially slated for a pan-India release on 8 December last year, the movie faced delays due to shooting.
The makers pushed the release date to 16 February. However, it has now been confirmed that Operation Valentine will not hit the screens on the scheduled date.
The makers are now contemplating releasing Operation Valentine either at the end of February or in March.
While the official reason for the delay is attributed to the ongoing visual effects work, speculations are rife that a lack of buzz and unfinished business may also be contributing to the film’s delay.
Ever since Operation Valentine was announced, it has been struggling to generate buzz and excitement among fans.
On 17 January, the team launched the first single “Vandemataram” at Wagah Border. It was sung by Kunal Kundu and composed by Mickey J Meyer.
Had a great start to the promotions of #OperationValentine today in Amritsar.
And big thanks to the @BSF_India for letting us release our first single ‘Vandemataram’ at the iconic Wagah border!
Jai hind!🇮🇳Here is the link- https://t.co/GBcbhOMOWh#OperationValentineonfeb16th pic.twitter.com/AR8MivBPuF
— Varun Tej Konidela (@IAmVarunTej) January 17, 2024
However, there have been no promotional activities since then. The reasons behind the delays and the lack of promotional efforts remain unknown.
With director Shakti Pratap Singh being a non-Telugu filmmaker and Bollywood actor Manushi Chhillar playing the female lead, Operation Valentine seems not to have struck a chord with Telugu filmgoers.
Meanwhile, Varun Tej’s recent string of flops has added to the overall negative perception of his taste in scripts. The postponement is further dampening expectations.
For Operation Valentine to gain traction, the makers should finalise a new release date and intensify promotional activities.
