Watch Cat Sticks

Cat Sticks is a 2019 Indian film directed by Indian filmmaker Ronny Sen. The movie follows a group of heroin addicts in Kolkata as they go through the ups and downs of their addiction. The story is set over one day and night and is shown through the perspectives of various characters. The film takes its peculiar name from the small plastic sticks used to administer heroin. The story follows the daily struggles of its main characters who are struggling to find their next fix, constantly on edge, paranoid and frustrated.

Debesh (Joyraj Bhattacharjee) is the film’s lead character, a former graduate student with an addiction to heroin. He is reduced to becoming a drug courier for his dealer, with only a couple of cat sticks as compensation. Debesh is looking for a way out of his addiction to heroin. His friend and fellow addict, the casually dressed Suddha (Sumeet Thakur), is surprisingly optimistic despite his addiction. These two characters often find themselves caught up in the lives of the other drug addicts.

However, the real standout of the film is the character of Jai (Tanmay Dhanania), a low-level gangster and dealer with a history of violence who has been forced to use his own drugs to make ends meet. He is a man who enjoys power and control over others, but his drug use has left him vulnerable and has reduced him to working a thankless job for a cruel boss.Despite everything, Jai is perhaps the most intriguing and complicated of all the characters in the movie.

As the story progresses, the four characters’ lives intersect, and they share their experiences, sometimes bonding, sometimes at odds with one another. The film offers a window into the lives of these characters who inhabit a world where addiction reigns supreme, and how they try to make sense of their lives.

The cinematography of this movie is noteworthy in the way it captures the gritty realism of Kolkata. Cinematographer Sounak Ghosh has made skillful use of hand-held camera techniques, giving the film an almost documentary-style feel. The film’s footage is shot in a style that is both stylish and raw, and the low lighting reflects the darkness of the movie’s themes.

The film’s soundtrack is also very effective, with a mix of classical and modern music that underscores the emotional turmoil of the characters. The sound design is also impressive, making use of ambient sounds (such as the sounds of the city at night) to create an immersive and engrossing environment for the audience.

Overall, Cat Sticks is a raw and unflinching portrayal of addiction and its consequences. It’s also an exploration of the vulnerability of human beings in a world that is often cruel and unforgiving. Some sequences in the film may be difficult to watch due to the gritty and realistic nature of the script, but the film never falls into despair or nihilism. Instead, it offers a thoughtful and nuanced look at the challenges of addiction and the human condition.

Cat Sticks is a 2020 drama with a runtime of 1 hour and 34 minutes. It has received mostly positive reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 6.8.