And we must answer this time. 

February 20 brought a movie unlike the rest. Taapsee Pannu leads in the film as a lawyer; as Anubhav Sinha guides her and the team behind the lens in this courtroom drama thriller.

What’s the full plot? 

At its heart lies Parima, brought to screen through the sheer grace and intensity of Kani Kusruti. Though born in Kerala, she teaches school in Delhi, where her life unfolds gently beside Vinay, her husband, a man from Haryana acted with commendable restraint by Mohammed Zeeshan Ayyub, and their child, Dhruv. Their home breathes stability, nothing is out of place, the house, like any other Indian household is shaped by small routines and some silences. 

Until….

Late one evening, following a school farewell event and departure from the subway, Parima vanishes, taken by five individuals. Inside a car in motion, what unfolds lasts for an extended duration in the film, as she becomes subject to violent sexual assault and is gangraped. The attackers display a chilling kind of unity, marked by mocking tones, amusement, and yet detached as if tallying meaningless numbers. Their behavior forms a stretch of film rarely matched in intensity within modern Indian cinema. This moment stays with you for long because of the horrendous raw discomfort it carries, and that was its purpose the entire time.

A close injury almost takes her sight in one eye. Not once does the director turn aside, nor allows viewers to do so and with focus, the attention in the scene remains fixed where it hurts the most.

Then dawn breaks. Hours of brutality end with Parima left beside rail lines and people walking by offering aid. From a cart on the edge of the road, red chillies rain down as women move her toward care; yes, this scene echoes old film frames, and yet speaks clearly of hurt and defiance. And yeah… lying completely helpless. 

Here starts the legal fight! 

Raavi, portrayed by Taapsee Pannu, appears as a resolute legal mind accepting Parima’s matter into representation. Though named Assi, derived from a numeral indicating eighty, the label points toward an estimated count of sexual assault charges filed per day across India! First, let that sink in… 

How Is Assi Doing At The Box Office? 

Early in the morning of 20 February 2026, Assi reached theaters across India, gathering between ₹0.95 crore and ₹1 crore by day’s end. By the next afternoon, earnings rose slightly, somewhere within ₹0.15 to ₹0.20 crore noted so far. So yeah, few crowds surged; still, the seats filled were moved beyond measure. 

You might note that Do Deewane Seher Mein began with around ₹1.25 crore on its opening day, somewhat ahead despite shared release timing. Its gentle storytelling possibly pulled more viewers at first glance.

Still, Assi did not aim for broad audience appeal, anyway. 

Things We LOVED! 

1. Taapsee Pannu As Bosslady for the 18283th time 

Truth, when handled by Raavi, becomes like an act of resistance and a cinema of questioning. 

Her courtroom demeanor is the MAIN CHARACTER of the film, and no one is complaining. Truly, it echoes the intensity of Amitabh Bachchan’s role in Pink as much as Akshaye Khanna’s portrayal in Section 375. She is the “ghee seedhi ungli de na nikle, toh ungli tedhi karni padti hai,” coded lawyer, and it is so fun to see her unravelling the story and evidence bit by bit.

Anchoring the story, she brings clarity of thought paired with a strong sense of what is right. Still, it is the openness to doubt that defines Raavi. 

2. It all starts with…normalisation

Though the story focuses on sexual violence, attention is also given towards the surroundings allowing it. Scenes like Parima’s response to a song reducing women to objects and dancing in baraat happily carries deep meaning and has the ability to break hearts at once!  Another scene with the male lawyer questioning a teen witness’s “character,” carries a similar kind of emotion. 

3. The Red Screen Reminder

Twenty minutes pass before a crimson display cuts through the story, showing how often a rape case is reported in India. 20

minutes. Yup, a red screen unfolds in front of your eyes after every 20 mins and makes this reality feel oh-so-real. 

This was a Dhurandhar kind of aesthetic and definitely added to the sharp and disruptive vision the director was going for. 

What we didn’t like 

Even with clear advantages, flaws remain present in Assi. Though meant to draw audiences into the survivor’s pain, the attack sequence runs too long. It is unquestionably harsh, yet stretched thin by time. 

A courtroom drama in name, yet the arrival at the trial feels delayed by design in the film. The film takes its sweet time explaining everything chronologically, which may not be the most logical thing to do when approaching a high intensity courtroom drama.

Subplots like an officer taking money as bribes, while pointing to deeper issues, come across as thinly explored in the film. Without emphasizing the gravity of acts such as rape, this moments dull the impact, leaving room for the story to mirror the indifference it portrays.

Though avoiding heavy spoilers, the final confrontation, led by an individual known as the “umbrella man” pursuing vengeance on the convicted brings an ending which is way too easy. The Indian audience is not convinced without shock effect, and that’s why, this scene kind of fell flat. 

Though featuring songs such as “Mai Mai” and “Mann Hawa,” the soundtrack holds a steady flow and meaning without being too memorable.  Still, on a technical level, the film finds its strength via honesty and uncomfortable, unsettling numbers and truths. 

Discomfort becomes unavoidable here, pressing momentum toward personal involvement within broader breakdowns. 

Though box office returns fell short of Do Deewane Seher Mein’s launch figures, creative ambition took a broader and bigger leap here. And that’s a win in itself.

Rating: 3.5/5

Watch it, but not without being prepared.