In Chandigarh, Bollywood star Randeep Hooda talks about his love for all things Punjabi

Mona

A fine actor, Randeep Hooda, known for the transformations he undergoes to play different characters, has taken on a new role now. A writer and director, he would be seen as and in Swatantra Veer Savarkar, and the film has consumed him totally. But that for later; not having slept for three nights straight, he made a stop at Chandigarh to promote another show that he is very much invested in — CAT.

Set in the backdrop of insurgency and drug peddling in Punjab, Hooda steps into a turbaned avatar of Gurnam Singh. And with this he wants to shatter every misconception that the film industry has about Punjab. “Sarson ke khet in Hindi films are shown as the perfect setting for love, but in reality it takes blood, sweat, hard work, water, fertiliser, saving the crop from rain, hail and more,” he says, sipping on tea. “Also, there is a misconception about Sikhs that they are really loud and thigh-slapping folks, but in my research for another project that never fructified, Battle of Saragarhi, I found that Sikhs are very cultured. From there germinated the character of Gurnam Singh.”

Great journey

Hooda plays a CAT—a secret police informant—who will go to any lengths for the sake of his family. Directed by Balwinder Singh Janjua, the show boasts of an ensemble cast, including Suvinder Vicky and Hasleen Kaur.

The story goes back and forth between two timelines. “Within the show, my character undergoes a transformation and it was quite a journey in itself,” says Hooda. Couple it with an engaging screenplay, good music and fine performances, Hooda feels they’ve got a winner. “I have great admiration for Sikhs; playing this role I have been spiritually closest to myself.”

Such is his love for Punjabi that Hooda refused to dub for the show in Hindi! “A sardar speaking Hindi, that too from a background the character is from, would have looked pretty awkward.” While the show is in Punjabi, it would be available in both Hindi and English. If Punjab is about tales of love and honour, it’s also the lesson of seva that Hooda has learnt from the state. “Whenever I go to Golden Temple, I wash utensils. Or wherever I have langar, it is such a lesson in humility.”

Personal note

The boy from Rohtak has made it big in the entertainment industry, with films like Highway, Sarbjit and Rang Rasiya to his credit, and also Hollywood film Extraction, but he credits it all to destiny. “I started my stage journey from Motilal Nehru School of Sports, Haryana, and went through the bylanes of Delhi and Melbourne, following academics to driving a taxi. From almost joining the Army to becoming a trainer for horses, 22 years of professional journey and I am back on stage —only it’s a different one.”

Director’s cut

“We have tried to be as authentic as possible in representing the two timelines that are shown; the language, the tracks, the complexities of relationships and the journey of our characters. CAT is a very unique story and I am glad we could collaborate with Netflix to bring this to life,” says the creator and director of the show, Balwinder Singh Janjua.

Weighty affair

To lose weight, one needs a purpose. Dropping it for beauty, health, vanity or for a role are different things. I share two kinds of relationships with my fridge — one is it singing to me Preetam Aan Milo when I sleep hungry, and another when it says give me a break, let me cool down; it’s between the two that I lose and gain weight. I seek guidance from my sister Anjali Hooda Sangwan, who is a doctor, to stay healthy through it all. —Randeep Hooda, Actor

(CAT will be streaming from December 9, 2022, on Netflix)