Taapsee, Kani Kusruti’s 'Assi' is a hard-hitting look at a broken system | Movie Review

Some stories are inherently difficult to narrate, yet certain subjects demand a retelling to force a societal reckoning. In his film ‘Assi’ (which translates to 80), filmmaker Anubhav Sinha does exactly that. By focusing his lens on the harrowing reality of sexual assault, Sinha highlights the terrifying fact that women in India face this violence daily. This is not emphasised in dialogues or the story alone, but through a recurring, flickering red screen that counts down ‘20 minutes.’ This visual motif serves as a chilling reminder of the statistics: with approximately 80 women raped daily in India, a sexual assault occurs every 20 minutes—a grim reality that provides the inspiration for the film's provocative framing.
Anubhav is no stranger to telling hard-hitting tales. In fact, his 2020 work ‘Thappad’ continues to be one of those thought-provoking films that shook audiences by addressing women’s dignity and the insidious nature of everyday abuse. ‘Assi’ takes on an even more violent subject, and through the makers lens, we are shown the lived experiences of the women caught in the brutality of rape.

In ‘Assi’, the story centers around Parima (Kani Kusruti), a Malayali woman working as a ninth-grade school teacher in Delhi. She leads a peaceful life with her husband Vinay (Mohammed Zeeshan Ayyub) and their young son Dhruv (Advik Jaiswal) in an old apartment complex. However, their sense of normalcy is shattered one evening when Parima, returning late from a staff party, is abducted by a group of young men. She is subjected to a brutal assault in a moving car—a harrowing sequence that the film depicts with unflinching realism. The graphic portrayal in this A-rated movie is a stark reminder of real-life incidents, most notably the Nirbhaya case, that have deeply impacted the nation’s collective conscience.

But despite the intensity of the story, at times, Assi appears a bit aloof, not always having the raw emotion we usually expect to keep us hooked on the narrative. The incident before us is traumatic, but there is little emotional detailing of the victim that makes us feel for the character as we would want to. But maybe, that was a creative choice – to ensure Parima’s trauma does not turn into a spectacle. And Anubhav compensates this with the way he approaches the story. It is interesting to see how the film prioritises the rigged police framework and legal loopholes in our system that exists walk off freely. In that way, the film evolves into a compelling critique of how the law actually functions, making the victim’s quiet recovery feel grounded rather than theatrical.

Reuniting with director Anubhav Sinha for their third collaboration after ‘Mulk’ and ‘Thappad,’ Taapsee Pannu steps into the role of Raavi, a sensitive and resilient public prosecutor fighting for a gang-rape survivor. Taapsee is powerful, but her character’s constant emotion makes some lines feel like a lecture rather than a real courtroom talk. This intensity is meant to show her passion, but it sometimes feels too preachy, clashing with the film’s realistic focus on a broken legal system.

Actor Revathy as the judge, however, resonates the practical approach of the film, which does not succumb to melodrama. She is no-nonsensical and her viewpoints are not shaped by the emotional turmoil but facts and evidences. Revathy, who is known for both her compelling performances and strong wit, was a perfect choice in the movie.
Meanwhile, Kani Kusruti, who has delivered some exceptionaly good performances in critically-acclaimed films like ‘Biriyaani’ and ‘All We Imagine As Light’, is compelling in her role as Parima. She is the quiet driving force of the movie, even as she stands shoulder-to-shoulder with Taapse. Overall, the film, despite its flaws, fosters empathy, but also discomfort, as it confronts us with the enormity of the issue in a way that’s too real to ignore.