The Cat Beast (1997): Pakistan’s Wildest Cult Horror and Feminist Vigilante Thriller

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In the 90s Pakistani horror movie The Cat Beast (1997), a ruthless crime syndicate pushes a town to its limits, and a woman transforms into a cat-like monster to deliver vigilante justice.

The Cat Beast

Original title: Da Khwar Lasme Spogmay
Director: Shehnaz Begum
Country: Pakistan

From Lollywood to Pashtun Exploitation: A Wild Corner of Pakistani Cinema

Pakistani cinema (or Lollywood) is as diverse as its ethnic groups. Among these is Pashtun cinema—a subset of genre films that embrace all the expected tropes of Desi films: action, romance, horror, melodrama, and music.

This extremely low-budget boom includes films like Haseena Atom Bomb (1990) and Man Eater aka Aadomkhor (1986), which are packed with wild elements such as monsters, comically large syringes, and monkeys on horseback throwing hand grenades. These films also feature voluptuous heroines who often shake all they have for the camera. It is surprisingly salacious for Pakistan, especially in past decades, and they reflect a healthier body image to some extent.

The film stock is so grainy and grimy that you could swear they were from the 1970s, but they are from the 1990s. This shows the impact of using old, leftover cameras.

In this environment, we got 1997’s The Cat Beast aka Da Khwar Lasme Spogmay.

A Gang, a Vigilante, and a Woman Who Becomes a Monster

The story of The Cat Beast is pretty standard. A vicious gang that steals, kills, and assaults with impunity (and looks and acts stranger than you can imagine) persecutes a humble town despite the best efforts of the police and a macho vigilante to stop them.

Justice takes a different form when the daughter of one of their victims (also the officer’s sweetheart) transforms into a cat monster.

This action is interspersed with romantic interludes, song-and-dance numbers, and comic relief sequences.

Even without subtitles, the context will clue you into most of the plot, even if the finer details might be lost.

So Bad It’s Good? The Cult Appeal of Pashtun Genre Cinema

Whether or not The Cat Beast is a good film depends entirely on the viewer and their generosity. It may not be good in the traditional sense, but it is entertaining if you are into weird cinema or “so bad it’s good” territory. Something is endearing about these “anything goes” movies where budget means nothing and imagination rules.

The film suffers from problems rooted in the culture that produced it, such as a long runtime (although mercifully only two hours, as opposed to three) and action interrupted by mood-killing musical numbers. But these can add to the charm and contribute to the unique feel.

The Werecat: Claws, Cowl, and Cult-Ready Camp

As for the feline aspect, The Cat Beast does not disappoint, except in the short and spread-out time she is onscreen.

We get a werecat in a black catsuit with claws, a skintight cowl, and inflatable ears. Her screeching dominates much of the film, and while she may look more human than feline, she exhibits enough characteristics to satisfy.

Feminism in Fur: A Female Monster in a Male-Dominated Genre

Since this is a cheap and cheesy action film, it is unlikely that the filmmakers aimed for any profound themes. One unmistakable message, however, is feminism. The movie centers on a strong female lead in a male-dominated country and genre. This is more noticeable since a female director is behind the camera.

Law, Vigilantism, and Vengeance: Three Faces of Justice

However, the most prominent theme is justice. We have three facets here: the lawful police officer who is not only in conflict with the gangs but also with a rogue crime-fighter, the vigilante who hunts down criminals with little regard for the law, and the titular cat beast who is a mild-mannered woman but becomes blind with rage when she transforms and tears criminals to shreds. She relishes in her kills and drags them out, which feels like desserts for these unrepentantly evil villains.

In the face of all this violence, the officer could be criticized for failing to protect the women in his community, especially when vigilantes have a much more permanent solution for these gangsters. Yet, he might also be lauded for his commitment to upholding the law, opting for the hard, legitimate path rather than resorting to extrajudicial measures.

This dynamic underscores the intentions of all three characters. The officer chooses to be lawful, the vigilante willingly breaks the rules, and the cat woman has no choice in the matter since she has transformed into vengeance personified.

A Costly Victory: Identity, Sacrifice, and Moral Blind Spots

The film concludes with a final stand against the gang, where the officer teams up with the vigilante to end the menace for good. But this cooperation does not extend to the cat beast, despite her equally effective takedowns. Perhaps the officer fears her fury might target someone innocent next time, or maybe his dedication blinds him. Either way, it leads to the loss of a potentially valuable ally.

Things take another tragic turn when he learns the true identity of the cat woman, revealing that victory in this town has come at a cost.

A Purr-fect Introduction to 1990s Pashtun Exploitation Cinema

The Cat Beast is like a microcosm of everything good and bad about the Pashtun exploitation boom of the 1990s, making it a perfect introduction for curious newcomers. It features strong femininity and offers more thematic depth than one might initially expect, even surpassing the director’s intentions. It also shows why you do not want to mess with cats, especially in the back alleys of Pakistan.

Where to Watch the Pakistani Horror Movie The Cat Beast (1997)

Because Pakistani genre cinema from this era rarely sees wide digital distribution, this Pashto-language film isn’t currently hosted on major global platforms like Netflix, Prime Video, or Apple TV.

Physical media like VHS tapes or DVDs sometimes circulate among collectors and specialty sellers, but this is rare.

However, The Cat Beast (1997) is available to watch in its entirety on YouTube. The upload is in low visual quality, though, so expect heavy compression and degraded image clarity.

About the Author

CHRIS HEWSON is an Australian film buff who reviews movies on his blog, Not This Time, Nayland Smith. He has seen some of the craziest movies, such as the Chinese sequels to The Gods Must Be Crazy and a Macedonian post-apocalyptic arthouse film about Santa bringing about Armageddon. His latest project is a comedic short-story collection centering on sexism, B-movies, and the golden age of Hollywood.

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