Assi review: Anubhav Sinha delivers unsettling realism with Kani Kusruti, Taapsee Pannu

Filmmaker Anubhav Sinha is back with another socially charged film, Assi, featuring Taapsee Pannu in the lead. The hard-hitting film marks the third collaboration between the director and the actor after Mulk and Thappad. Turning the audience's attention once again towards sexual violence against women and how the system tries to interrupt the justice, the courtroom drama and crime thriller is set in Delhi.

The title refers to the total number of rapes reported daily in India, and the makers ensure to remind the viewers about the same every twenty minutes in the film. The intent is clear: provoke, unsettle, and spark conversation, but does Assi achieve the goal? Let’s find out.

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About Assi’s plot

The story follows a Malayali school teacher, Parima (Kani Kusruti), who lives in Delhi with her Haryanvi husband Vinay (Mohammed Zeeshan Ayyub) and their son Dhruv. Their normal lives take a brutal turn when, one night while returning from her school, Parima is abducted and sexually assaulted in a moving car by a group of men.

The perpetrators- Sameer, Harry, and others assault her one by one and record the crime, and later dump her half dead near railway tracks. They also try to destroy the evidence by cleaning the car, burning clothes, and disposing of phones. On the other hand, Parima suffers severe physical injuries and emotional trauma.

When the investigation begins, several inconsistencies come up as a hurdle in front of the court, including DNA complications and other loopholes in the case. The accused claim they are innocent, and on the night of the crime, they were headed to a wedding and their car was stolen. Eventually, the court grants them bail.

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Then comes Raavi (Taapsee Pannu), a fierce lawyer who takes up the case to provide justice to Parima, while dealing with her own emotions after losing someone close in a hit-and-run. Raavi’s grief also connects her to Kartik (Kumud Mishra), whose narrative leads to themes of personal loss and vigilante rage.

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What works and what doesn’t

Speaking about the performances, Kani Kusruti rules the screen as Parima. Her silence, physical vulnerability, and dialogue hit hard. Additionally, she conveys trauma with unsettling realism without melodrama. Mohammed Zeeshan Ayyub playing her husband is no less. He silently supports his wife, and his scenes with their son Dhruv also carry raw emotional weight.

The lead, Taapsee Pannu, shows emotions along with ferocity as Raavi. She shines particularly in the second half during courtroom confrontations. Her final monologue, addressing an accused who assaulted his own wife, is gripping-even if a little dramatic.

Other supporting actors also perform well. Manoj Pahwa portrays the father of an accused with unsettling realism, while Revathy and smaller roles, including police officers and morally grey characters, feel layered.

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The second half of the film, including courtroom exchanges, moral dilemmas, and emotional scenes, is gripping. Some thought-provoking dialogues land hard, such as justifications about the crime from the accused.

The film doesn’t hold back in portraying how a sexual assault is seen in society, including victim-blaming and institutional failures, without sensationalising the topic.

While the performances are top-notch, the film’s graphics feel too much as the assault scene is a little overwhelming and depicts excruciating detail. Another point that feels unnecessary is that the film presents multiple threads, such as vigilante killings and Kartik’s emotional arc. While it catches attention individually, overall, the story feels fragmented. While Raavi and Kartik’s characters do hold significance, they needed a little more attention.

Some cameo appearances from popular actors, including Naseeruddin Shah, feel underutilized, and some subplots are left incomplete. Pannu’s final monologue, as well, feels a little diverted from the survivor’s journey, and some moments, such as including children in the courtroom, feel engineered rather than organic.

What’s the final verdict?

Assi brings out a harrowing and unsettling story that is gripping for sure. It is not an easy watch, and the performances of the actors are overall on point. However, while trying to address too many issues, including justice, trauma, parenting, and vigilantism, Anubhav Sinha’s film diverts from its original intention. But despite its flaws, Assi has the potential to keep the viewers stuck to their seats till the end.