Mumbai, Feb 19 Filmmaker Anubhav Sinha, known for his impactful social dramas, says his new film "Assi" is an attempt to understand the reasons behind the rising number of sexual assault cases in a society that has become desensitized to such violence.
The film stars Kani Kusruti as a rape survivor and Taapsee Pannu as her lawyer, and tells the story of a Delhi woman's quest for justice following a violent sexual assault, focusing on the challenges faced during police and court proceedings.
The title of the film is derived from the statistic that approximately 80 "Assi" cases of rape are reported daily in India.
Every 20 minutes in the film, the screen shows red, reminding viewers that another rape has taken place in the country.
"The idea was to re-normalize the conversation about rape cases that we have accepted as part of life. And as long as it's happening far away from us, we tend to ignore it, but we need to acknowledge it. I think as a society, we need to collectively address this issue," Sinha told
Sinha said that a significant number of these incidents occur within the home and by people known to the victim. He believes that society must "collectively" confront this problem rather than solely blaming the judiciary or the police.
"Rape cases are uncomfortable, and we don't usually talk about them in families. We find the topic disturbing. Human beings are always looking for a shield to hide behind, like when you realize you've gained weight, you avoid the mirror because you know what you're going to see there."
"It's important to address this issue clearly and effectively. And also to present it in a dramatic way to capture the audience's attention and keep them engaged for those two hours."
Sinha asserts that "Assi" is not based on a specific case, but rather a culmination of numerous stories that share a similar pattern.
The 60-year-old filmmaker considers films like "Assi" to be "real mainstream cinema" because they tell stories relevant to the audience's lives.
"In my view, this cinema (referring to films like 'Assi') is the future of Hindi cinema. These are the films that will drive the industry, and make other mainstream cinema successful. I call it 'real mainstream cinema' because it's a story about our lives, happening around us," he said.
One of the most striking aspects of "Assi" is the inclusion of children, which Sinha said was a conscious decision.
To protect children from the film's sensitive subject matter, the director said he used a two-script strategy: one for the lead cast, and another for the child actors, who were told that the story is about a man stealing a bag from a mother.
"As a senior member of the civil society, I'm looking at the next generation and saying please help me because I messed up. While I say that to them, I'm also aware that they are in a difficult situation, and it's not the beginning of civilization where you can start writing a new script."
"They are standing in the middle of a messed-up situation, so we need to support them. I hope the number of rape cases come down," he said.
The film features an ensemble cast including Mohd Zeeshan Ayyub, Kumud Mishra, Revathi, Manoj Pahwa, Naseeruddin Shah, Supriya Pathak, and Seema Pahwa.
Sinha said that the veteran actors worked for free out of passion for the film.
The director worked with Shah on his OTT series, “IC 814: The Kandahar Hijack”, while “Assi” marks his maiden collaboration with Supriya and Seema.
"I told Naseer bhai if we can meet over breakfast and he invited me to his house. Initially, I was going around the bush and after a while he asked me what exactly I want from him and I told him I need him for a guest appearance for the film ('Assi') and he said, ‘Ok, I’ll do it’.
Three days before the shoot, he said, ‘Send me my scenes’, I told him, ‘I’ll send you the script, do read it’.” For one of the scenes, we needed Supriya ji, I called her from Delhi and said, ‘Ma’am I need you for a scene in the film’, and she said, ‘Yes’. Same thing (happened) with Seema ji.”
"I had sent them money but everyone sent it back to me. I often invite them over for food and feed them. It's just their love for me, and I love them too,” the director said.
Backed by T-Series and Sinha, “Assi” is scheduled for release this Friday.
