Star Cast: Taapsee Pannu, Kani Kusruti
Director: Anubhav Sinha
Assi Movie Review Synopsis:
ASSI is the story of a lawyer who takes on a difficult case.
Parima (Kani Kusruti) is a school teacher who lives in a city with her husband Vinay (Mohd Zeeshan Aayub) and her son Dhruv (Advik Jaiswal). One evening, a colleague's retirement party is held at her school and lasts late into the night. After the party ends, Parima goes home by metro. When she gets off, she is suddenly taken by a group of friends and forced into their car. For the next two hours, she is raped by them. After that, they leave her near a railway track and run away. They also destroy any proof they have. In the morning, Parima is found unconscious and injured and is taken to the hospital immediately. The police, including Rajendra Sethi, Sanjay (Jatin Goswami), and ASI Vanita, start the investigation. Vinay works with Kartik (Kumud Mishra), and Kartik's good friend is Raavi (Taapsee Pannu), a lawyer. Raavi decides to take on the case. Despite her serious condition, Parima tells the police what happened, and quickly, the rapists get caught. The case then goes to trial, but Parima realizes getting justice is not easy. This is because the rapists made up a story that their car was stolen the night of the crime. They said they were going to a wedding far away and couldn’t have been at the scene. Parima can’t recognize the rapists during the identification process, which makes things harder in court. Also, the DNA evidence doesn’t match, so the rapists are released on bail. This is the beginning of the rest of the film.
Assi Movie Story Review:
The story by Anubhav Sinha and Gaurav Solanki is really shocking.
Their screenplay is very engaging. However, sometimes the story goes into subplots that aren’t needed. The dialogues are powerful and impactful.
Anubhav Sinha’s direction is powerful.
The film opens with a disturbing scene and grabs attention right away. The first 20 minutes are very upsetting. It's rare to see a Hindi film show this kind of crime so directly. But the makers make sure it doesn't feel like it's trying to shock for the sake of it. Instead, the viewer feels the pain and trauma of the survivor. The film also looks at the families of both the victim and the rapists. The way Vinay handles the situation while trying to care for his son is very memorable. Parima also struggles to return to her job, and that's heartbreaking. The film also focuses on the female members of the rapists' families and how they deal with the situation. The film starts with a fact that a rape is reported every 20 minutes in the country. This fact is shown again every 20 minutes during the movie, making it have a strong impact. The ending is very emotional.
On the other hand, the film isn’t always consistent.
Some parts feel like they come from Anubhav Sinha's usual style, which is thoughtful and slightly different but still popular, like ARTICLE 15 [2019] and THAPPAD [2020]. But at times, the film shifts into a more experimental tone, which feels out of place and weakens the overall message. Also, the character of Kartik gets too much attention. Viewers would have preferred the movie to focus more on Raavi and Parima. The subplot about a cop taking bribes doesn’t add much and feels out of place, especially since it’s shown in an indie style that doesn't fit with the rest of the film. Even THAPPAD had subplots, but they worked better and felt more mainstream. Ideally, ASSI should have followed the style of Anubhav Sinha’s MULK [2018] or Taapsee Pannu’s PINK [2016] – films that were serious, courtroom-focused, and still popular.
Assi Movie Review Performances:
Taapsee Pannu gives an excellent performance and really shines in the climax.
Kani Kusruti is the heart of the story and does a great job in a tough role. Mohd Zeeshan Aayub plays a husband who is quiet but shows support for his wife in his own way. His performance is very strong. Kumud Mishra is reliable. Satyajit Sharma, Rajendra Sethi, Jatin Goswami, and the actor playing ASI Vanita all leave a lasting impression. Advik Jaiswal does a nice job as well. Revathy (as the judge) and Manoj Pahwa support the story effectively. Vipul Gupta, Sahil Sethi, Abhishek Kaushal, Tejender Singh, and Abhishant Rana all play the rapists well. Tripti Thakur and Akshara Padwal are only in two scenes but add a lot to the story. Naseeruddin Shah, Supriya Pathak, and Seema Pahwa are impressive in their small roles.
Assi Movie Music and Other Technical Aspects:
The two songs, 'Mann Hawa' and 'Maai Meri', are forgettable.
Ranjit Barot's background music is okay.
Ewan Mulligan’s cinematography is a bit sharp and works well with the tone of the film.
Nikhil S Kovale and Apurva Vijay Bhagat's set designs are realistic. Vishakha Kullarrwar and Joe Mansoori's costumes look natural. The action scenes by Riyaz and Habib are realistic. Amarjit Singh’s editing is practical.
Assi Movie Review Conclusion:
Overall, Assi is a tough courtroom drama that leaves you unsettled and thinking about it long after.
It’s driven by a strong story and good acting, especially from Taapsee Pannu and Kani Kusruti. But the movie has some uneven parts and side stories that take away from its potential. At the box office, it should do well in cinemas if the right people come to see it.
