Taapsee
Pannu’s Assi is a courtroom drama based on true events. Co-starring Kani Kusruti and Mohammad Zeeshan Ayyub, the Anubhav Sinha directorial is an emotional investigative thriller around sexual assault. The trailer released recently and the internet is impressed. Gaurav Solanki, the writer of Assi, is touted to be the ‘highest paid’ member of the crew. For the first time, the makers declared this on the poster before announcing Taapsee as the protagonist. In an exclusive interview with Zoom, Solanki opened up about Assi and why courtroom dramas are his favourite genre to write about.
Assi writer on courtroom dramas
Talking to us exclusively, Gaurav opened up about the challenges that come with crime thrillers and courtroom dramas. He explained, “Pehle toh sab kuch mushkil lagta hai lekin phir sab ho jata hai. Humne toh aur bhi bada challenge liya, a crime thriller and a courtroom drama, which was even more challenging.
Courtroom drama mein do lawyers hote hai, bohot saboot hote hai, you have to think like a cop and a lawyer. Whatever is kept on the table, how to argue and much more. I have always loved watching courtroom dramas and films based on journeys.”
(Translation: Initially, everything feels difficult but it is manageable. We took a bigger challenge of making Assi a crime thriller and a courtroom drama. In the latter, there are two lawyers, many evidence and one has to think like a cop and a lawyer. Whatever is kept on the table, how to argue and much more. I have always loved watching courtroom dramas and films based on journeys.)
No CBFC cuts, hopes Gaurav
When asked whether CBFC rules take away writers’ creative freedom, he shared, “Puri ummeed hai Assi jaise banayi hai vaise aapke saamne aayegi. I believe and hope that.”
Assi trailer
The trailer opens on a gripping, unsettling note, introducing Taapsee as a relentless lawyer who refuses to bow down in her pursuit of justice, while Kani Kusruti stands at the emotional core of the narrative, her character becoming the beating heart of the case. What follows is a fast-paced investigative journey that tears through the dark, deeply disturbing layers of society. More than just a courtroom clash, the drama challenges the conscience raising uncomfortable questions about morality, accountability, and the future we are shaping for the next generation. Alongside Taapsee, the film features Kani Kusruti, Revathy, Manoj Pahwa, Kumud Mishra, and Mohammed Zeeshan Ayyub, with special appearances by Naseeruddin Shah, Supriya Pathak, and Seema Pahwa. Assi releases on February 20.
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