CAT Review: Randeep Hooda's Netflix Series Thrills Inspite of Its Pulpy Yet Very Familiar Setting (LatestLY Exclusive)

CAT Review: Balwinder Singh Janjua's Netflix series CAT is about the drug crime syndicate in Punjab. Now when I read 'drugs' and 'Punjab', the first thing that came to my mind is Udta Punjab, and all the controversy regarding its release with CBFC. I wondered how come no one has an issue now that a whole web-series is based around the issue. The first episode, however, makes things clearer - Randeep Hooda's series is set around 2007, so it is not exactly 'current', right? Ab toh sab changa si, right? Randeep Hooda Feels Guilty of Cutting His Hair Despite Pledging at the Guru Granth Sahib for Battle of Saragarhi.

The 'CAT' in the title refers to an undercover informant working for the Police who infiltrates drug rings or terrorist groups and leaks information to their original bosses. In the Netflix series, Randeep Hooda plays Gurnaam, who, as a teenager, had once turned CAT for Punjab police that led to the arrest and killing of a dreaded Khalistani terrorist, as revenge for the killing of his parents.

Years later, Gurnaam is once again forced to be a CAT, this time to save his younger brother Sunny (Danish Sood) from prison time after the latter is caught possessing and selling drugs. This time, Gurnaam is tasked to infiltrate the drug ring of a powerful rich politician Madam Aulakh (Geeta Agrawal) and bring her down. Once again, it is Sehtab Singh (Suvinder Vicky) a top cop in Punjab Police who tasks him in being a CAT, though this time, his intentions aren't exactly honourable. The only person Gurnaam somewhat bonds with is his police contact Babita (Hasleen Kaur), a honest cop whose righteousness makes her blind to the games her superiors are playing with her.

Watch the Trailer:

The premise of CAT offers plenty of pulpy thrills as Gurnaam rises in ranks through deceit and even murder, first being a trusted right-hand man of Laadi (Dakssh Ajit Singh) to then working for Madam's trusted lieutenant Shamsher Singh (Jaipreet Singh) and his wayward son Monty (Manish Gulati). CAT Trailer: Check out How Randeep Hooda Will Bust a Drug Cartel in Punjab.

While the drug trade does provide an exciting backdrop to the saga, do not expect CAT to throw itself into deeply the grimness of the situation and the impact on the state and its youth, like Udta Punjab did. CAT, instead, is rather more invested in Gurnaam being the desi Donnie Brasco both in the present and the past, and how he manages to avoid getting caught nearly every time in being a double agent. Even in that case, the series barely manages to show the psychological implications such a mission has on Gurnaam - even after he kills someone whose family life he tries to rehabilitate a couple of scenes earlier. Which the recent Mukhbir series does better. Even more frustrating is when you don't feel much for the whole reason Gurnaam returns to this mess - the subplot involving the younger brother passes muster.

Instead, CAT is best enjoyed to be watched as a thriller series with masala frills, where every character is expected to be a backstabber, women are merely pawns to be manipulated in the men's games, while occasionally dabbling into threesoms, accidental incest and Punjab's obsession with pop stars and Canada. Again, the plot setting is very familiar. Not just Donnie Brasco, I was also very much reminded of Indrajaalam, this yesteryear Malayalam film, starring Mohanlal in the lead and the late Rajan P Dev making a fantastic debut as Carlos. Both CAT and Indrajaalam have their protagonists sent as a mole to infiltrate a reigning powerful foe, only for these protagonists to realise that the people who sent them ain't no angels.

As for the acting, Randeep Hooda, as always, never disappoints playing the troubled lead. Among the dependable supporting cast, Suvinder Vicky stands out as the devious and shrewd senior cop.

Final Thoughts

CAT may have a very familiar premise and the twists aren't that unpredictable, but what works here is thrilling setup and the performances of the cast, especially Randeep Hooda and Suvinder Vicky. The first season of CAT is streaming on Netflix.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Dec 09, 2022 01:16 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).