Happy birthday, Randeep Hooda: Looking at actor's OTT releases
Highway, Jannat 2, and Sarbjit star Randeep Hooda has turned 47! He made his acting debut in 2001 with Monsoon Wedding and has since headlined both out-and-out commercial entertainers and nuanced, experimental films. It'd be safe to say that even after over 30 feature films, he is just getting started! On his special day, we take a look at his outings on OTT platforms.
'Extraction' (2020)
Hooda took the first steps toward building a global presence by being part of Extraction, led by Chris Hemsworth and directed by Sam Hargrave in his feature directorial debut. He essayed Saju, a former Para (Special Forces) lieutenant colonel. The film made it to Netflix in April 2020, and while it courted mixed reviews, Indians couldn't be happier to see Hooda alongside Hemsworth.
'CAT' (2022)
Hooda received immense applause for his role as Gurnam Singh in CAT, which was released in December 2022 and marked his debut in the OTT series world. The character of an informant/spy seemed tailor-made for him, thanks to his past roles, physique, and baritone voice. Hooda ensured that CAT became a project to be remembered for years. It co-starred Suvinder Vicky and Hasleen Kaur.
'Inspector Avinash' (2023)
Hooda starred as the eponymous character in this crime thriller series created, written, and directed by Neeraj Pathak. TOI wrote in its review, "[Hooda's] portrayal of UP supercop Avinash Mishra is nothing short of fantastic...one of the standout factors is his mastery of the UP dialect, which adds authenticity to the story rooted in the hinterland of Uttar Pradesh." It is available on JioCinema.
'Sergeant' (2023)
Prawaal Raman-directed Sergeant added another feather to the Highway actor's hat, and Hooda effortlessly slipped into the character of Sergeant Nikhil Sharma, an unswervingly dedicated police officer. Adil Hussain, Arun Govil, Daphne Alexander, and Sapna Pabbi, among others, co-starred in this fast-paced thriller film where Nikhil races against time to solve a high-risk case. The film was released on JioCinema on June 30, 2023.
