The impact of Top Gun (1986) is enormous and the ripple effect is still being felt in Indian cinema of 2024. Of course, the new trend of aping Tony Scott's timeless classic started right after the release of Top Gun Maverick. Bollywood had its Top Gun derivative in the form of Hrithik Roshan's Fighter, and Telugu cinema is having a stab at it with Varun Tej's Operation Valentine. In the film, there is a rogue pilot, who seems to be suffering from PTSD from an accident. His mentor has a bone to pick with him as he is an adamant pilot and a loose canon. Then there is the slick romance between the hero and his commander. They cruise in a bike with fighter jets in the backdrop. Director Shakti Pratap Singh Hada doesn't even pretend to hide that this is another iteration of Top Gun. Just that we are missing an Ice Man to Maverick. As far as the mission goes, it is the same old story of terrorists from Pakistan bombing India, and the patriotic soldiers giving it back to them. Also starring Manushi Chillar, Navdeep, Ruhani Sharma, and Mir Sarwar, the film's technical crew comprises cinematographer Hari K Vedantam and editor Navin Nooli. Operation Valentine has music by Mickey J Meyer. Produced by Sony Pictures International Productions and Sandeep Mudda, Operation Valentine will be released on March 1.
