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Movie Name: Assi
Directed by: Anubhav Sinha
Starring: Taapsee Pannu, Kani Kusruti, Revathy, Manoj Pahwa, Kumud Mishra, Mohammed Zeeshan Ayyub, Naseeruddin Shah, Supriya Pathak
Genre: Thriller, Crime, Drama
Release Date: 20 February, 2026
Running Time: 122 Minutes
Language: Hindi
Rating:
Production Company: A Benaras Mediaworks Production
Budget: ₹- crore
Eighty reported sexual assaults a day, every day. One every twenty minutes and these are just the reported ones. Where does this come from? What does it leave behind?
Assi: Movie Overview
Anubhav Sinha and Taapsee Pannu are back together with ‘Assi’, their third film after ‘Mulk’ and ‘Thappad’. The investigative legal drama centers on a rape case and the fight that follows. The trailer landed this week and drew instant reactions for its tough tone and raw courtroom stakes. It also put a bright spotlight on Kani Kusruti.
“The film revolves around a rape case. And one performance, in particular, has stood out.” In ‘Assi’, Taapsee leads as Raavi. “Assi is headlined by Taapsee Pannu as a fearless lawyer, Raavi, who vows to fight a rape case and help deliver justice against the corrupt system and patriarchy.” The film is set for a theatrical release on February 20, 2026.
The trailer also frames the larger ensemble through clear character beats. “Veteran actress Revathy essays the role of a judge in the film Assi, portraying a character who is firm, assertive, and unflinching in her pursuit of justice.” Manoj Pahwa plays Deepraj. “Manoj Pahwa portrays Deepraj, the father of the accused, bringing a nuanced performance that captures the complexity of an affluent parent.” Supriya Pathak appears as “the mother of the accused,” while Naseeruddin Shah “makes a very special appearance in the film, adding his signature gravitas and depth to the story in a memorable cameo.”
Kani Kusruti portrays Parima, the woman whose story drives the case forward. As the provided material puts it, “In a trailer packed with intense moments, Kani’s presence feels steady and unsettling in equal measure. It is not loud. It lingers.” The cast notes add, “Actress Kani Kusruti plays the role of a rape survivor, Parima, in the film, and in the trailer, she has grabbed everyone’s attention with her performance.”
Mohammed Zeeshan Ayyub plays her husband, Vinay. “Rather than judging her, he supports her through court trials.” Advik Jaiswal plays their son, “questioning the brutal realities existing in the society.” The legal clash sharpens with the opposition. “Satyajit Sharma plays the aggressive lawyer defending the rapist, locking horns with Taapsee’s character in intense courtroom confrontations.” Rajendra Sethi and Jatin Goswami play cops “investigating and unearthing the truth behind the harrowing events of the night of the rape.”
After the trailer, expectations are high. For many viewers, ‘Assi’ will also be their first close look at Kani Kusruti. If the trailer is any indication, it will not be an easy performance to forget.
Movie Trailer:
Movie Review:
Hard-hitting, horrifying, and heartfelt, this courtroom drama is impossible to ignore
Story:
The courtroom drama follows a teacher, Parima (Kani Kusruti), who is brutally gang raped while returning home, and her lawyer Raavi’s (Taapsee Pannu) fight for justice. Beyond the horrific crime, it explores themes such as vigilantism, patriarchy, systemic corruption, and societal apathy that normalises sexual assault and crimes against women.
Review:
Director Anubhav Sinha’s title denotes the approximate number of rapes that take place each day in India — around 80. The film does not allow the viewer to sit comfortably with this statistic. Every 20 minutes, a reminder flashes on screen that another assault has occurred somewhere in the country during the film’s runtime. Alongside the alarming figure, the legal drama unsettles with its unflinching portrayal of how cruel society can be toward survivors.
After Parima is violated, her male students joke about it in WhatsApp groups, while her husband Vinay (Zeeshan Ayyub) is pressured by his family to drop the case to “save honour.” Police corruption sabotages the investigation, victim-blaming becomes routine, and the accused display chilling apathy. They turn the crime into a game, with the loser buying beer; two of the four swap scarves in court to match their outfits, and one heads to a disco to party. Each culprit has a sister, girlfriend, or daughter — an irony the narrative quietly underscores.
Parallelly, the story examines vigilantism through the rise of a ‘Chhatri Man,’ who begins targeting these rapists when the system fails. The film logically dissects the dangers of trial by media and mob justice. One of its most powerful moments sees Raavi’s face smeared with black ink by an irate supporter after she publicly speaks against vigilante justice. The success of any courtroom drama rests on the strength of its arguments and verbal sparring, and writer Gaurav Solanki delivers some of the sharpest exchanges through Raavi. Among the most heartrending sequences are her impassioned references to real cases, from infants assaulted to minors abusing an 80-year-old woman.
Though hard-hitting, the narrative resists melodrama, making it more thought-provoking than sensational. It adopts a forward-looking stance through the children who appear during the proceedings, suggesting the need to sensitise the next generation. This is portrayed through the moving relationship between Vinay and his son, Dhruv. When Dhruv visits Parima in the hospital, Vinay quietly admits that the aftermath will follow them home anyway; there is no shielding a child from such a reality. Besides the legal battle, the narrative also has plot twists that will shake you to the core.
Taapsee Pannu leads from the front here, embodying frustration, empathy, and even dry humour with finesse. Kani Kusruti is outstanding as a survivor attempting to rebuild her life. Revathy brings gravitas as the presiding judge, while Kumud Mishra leaves a mark with his layered performance. Zeeshan Ayyub’s restraint is moving.
For its poignant storytelling, hard-hitting narrative, and fine performances, and to fully absorb the message it delivers, Assi deserves to be experienced in a theatre.
Movie Songs:
Song Title: Mann Hawa
Lyrics: Kumaar
Music Composer: Rochak Kohli
Singer(s): Mohit Chauhan, Parampara Tandon, Rochak Kohli
