‘CAT’ is a series based on the life of Gurnam Singh, a man who is once again forced to work as CAT for his brother’s sake. The series is now streaming on Netflix.
Story
In the 1990s, after the death of his parents, Gurnam Singh works as CAT, a civilian informer, for the police to take down secessionist groups in Punjab.
Years later, in 2006, when Gurnam’s brother is arrested for dealing drugs, he agrees to go undercover again to help the police in exchange for his brother’s freedom.
Sehtab Singh, a figure from Gurnam’s past, sends him to infiltrate Madam Aulakh’s inner circle. However, Gurnam is not aware of Sehtab’s ulterior motive.
What started as a mission to put a stop to a powerful politician’s criminal activities turned into something much more complicated than that. When secrets from Gurnam’s past are revealed, he realizes things are not what they seem.
Gurnam has to shoulder the burden of betraying and manipulating those who consider him a friend without losing his humanity.
Performances
Most of the actors in the series failed to impress. By delivering dialogues in a monotone or in an exaggerated manner, they make it quite evident that it is all scripted.
While this is not Randeep Hooda’s best performance, he still manages to gain the sympathy of the viewers. In fact, at times, he plays the part so well that he is able to convey a lot more than what is said.
For instance, after Laadi’s death, just by observing the changes in his expressions, one can see his transformation from an average man to a criminal whose gun holds immense power.
Geeta Aggarwal Sharma as Madam Aulakh, and Dakssh Ajit Singh as Laadi, give a convincing performance and stand out.
Positives
The series does not depict women fighting over men. Instead, it depicts women sympathizing with each other and coming together to fight abusive men.
It does not portray characters as black or white; most of them are grey. Even the protagonist commits the worst crimes. The series shows that the line between good and bad can easily get blurred.
Since the characters are not simply good or bad, the viewers can see the good in the antagonists as well. They get to see the other side’s perspective and even feel for them.
The series pays extra attention to the tiny details. With keypad mobile phones, fax machines, and old cars, the viewers are taken back to the year 2006.
At times, the series attempts to delve into the human psyche. The viewers get a glimpse of the inner turmoil of the characters through their actions.
As Gurnam plays the part of a ruthless criminal, it can be seen that he is desperately trying to hold on to his humanity by repeatedly performing the tasks that he used to, like serving at the gurudwara, before he went undercover.
Negatives
There are times when it feels like everything happens too easily. Gurnam earns Laadi’s trust in a second, and Sehtab can kill anybody and get away with it.
The series tries to give every character a backstory. However, instead of giving depth to the characters, they make the plot confusing. A lot of things happen at the same time, and due to that, the show loses its focus.
Additionally, the transition between the past and the present is not smooth. This also muddles the plot for the viewers to some extent.
Sometimes, the dialogues and the actions of the characters seem overly dramatic, which serves as a reminder that this is just a piece of fiction.
Verdict
The series can be gripping at times, but that happens after a very slow start. It is hard to get invested in the beginning, but after that, it is full of twists and turns.
People who enjoy crime thrillers should watch the series over the weekend.
CAT
Director: Balwinder Singh Janjua, Rupinder Chahal, Jimmy Singh
Date Created: 2022-12-09 12:30
3.5
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