Taapsee Pannu returns to the big screen with Assi, a hard-hitting drama that refuses to look away from uncomfortable truths. Directed by Anubhav Sinha, the film dives deep into sexual assault, justice, and the cracks within our legal system. But is it just another courtroom drama, or does it truly shake you? Read our Assi movie review to know.

Assi movie review: Every Indian woman’s worst fears

Parima (Kanu Kusruti) and Vinay (Mohammed Zeeshan Ayyub) are a happy couple with a young son, living the sort of modest, content life many middle-class families do. Parima works as a school teacher; Vinay is employed at a supermarket. Their life is simple, stable, and unremarkable, until one moment alters everything.

One evening during a farewell celebration, Vinay asks Parima to stay back and enjoy while he leaves. After wrapping up everything, Parima leaves for home via metro, which turns out to be her biggest mistake. It’s 10.30 at night, and the metro station and the road outside are deserted. That’s when a car pulls up, and five men kidnap her. Parima is raped multiple times in the car and then thrown half-naked on a railway track to die. But she survives, and a local man takes her to the hospital. Raavi (Taapse Pannu), a lawyer, takes up Parima’s case, and that’s when Parima’s struggle with a corrupt legal system and a morally rotten society starts.

Is Assi really an urgent watch?

Assi is painful to watch, especially as a woman. As the story progresses, the movie presents to us exactly what we know but don’t pause to ever think about. The horror does not end with the assault. It seeps into classrooms, homes, and mobile screens. Parima’s students joke about the incident online. One boy even messages in a WhatsApp group asking why he was not “invited” to that car. The film holds up a disturbing mirror to a generation growing up online, a generation that is no longer shielded by innocence. It compels us to reconsider our understanding of rape, because today’s digital culture often normalises and even fuels rape culture rather than condemning it.

Every 20 minutes, the screen turns red, and we are reminded that a rape has occurred at this very moment as we munch on our popcorn and sip our cola. No matter how engrossed you get into the film, the red screen throws you back into reality, reminding you that this isn’t fiction. It is a painful reality for many women. 

Though Anubhav Sinha keeps the treatment as grounded and realistic as possible, there are moments where the narrative edges into drama. However, to its credit, the dramatic elements never overpower the story. The film remains committed to its central purpose of exposing uncomfortable truths rather than sensationalising them. The storytelling falters at times, but the movie delivers an important message we all need to hear. 

A cast that anchors the film

Along with a tight narrative, Assi’s cast anchors the film. Taapsee Pannu delivers a powerful performance as a lawyer determined to pursue justice the right way. She brings conviction and intensity without resorting to theatrics. Kani Kusruti as Parima is deeply impactful yet never melodramatic. Her portrayal of a gang-rape survivor still processing trauma is painfully authentic. There is no caricature in her performance, only restraint, vulnerability, and honesty.

Kumud Mishra plays Kartik, a grieving husband whose anguish pushes him towards vigilantism. Through his character, the film raises important questions about morality and ethics: can violence ever be justified in the name of justice?

Mohammed Zeeshan Ayyub as Vinay, a supportive and loving husband standing beside Parima as she navigates her life, is quite real. He is enraged but never tries to be a hero. The film at no point tries to present Vinay as the hero for standing beside his wife.

The rest of the ensemble, including Manoj Pahwa, bring authenticity to their roles, portraying flawed individuals shaped by fear, anger, and societal conditioning.

What works strongly for Assi is its pacing. The film never loosens its emotional grip. It does not allow the audience the comfort of detachment. Assi is not merely a courtroom drama. It is a commentary on who we are becoming as a society, both online and offline. The movie is disturbing, thought-provoking, and difficult to sit through at times, but perhaps that discomfort is precisely the point. This is not a film you “enjoy”. It is a film you endure and remember.

Can you watch Assi with your family? Yes, the film doesn’t contain any explicit scenes or obscene language. Caution is advised for children as the film’s main theme centres on sexual assault.

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