Assi (transl. Eighty) is a 2026 Indian Hindi-language courtroom drama film directed by Anubhav Sinha and starring Taapsee Pannu in the lead role. The film is produced by Bhushan Kumar, Krishan Kumar and Anubhav Sinha under the banners of Benaras Mediaworks and T-Series Films. The film was released in theatres on 20 February 2026. == Plot == The film follows the story of a lawyer who takes on a powerful case involving sexual assault and the fight for justice. The narrative explores themes of legal struggle, societal silence and gender-based issues through intense courtroom proceedings. == Cast == Taapsee Pannu as Advocate Raavi Kani Kusruti as Parima Revathy as Vasudha Manoj Pahwa as Deepraj Kumud Mishra as Kartik Mohammed Zeeshan Ayyub as Vinay Satyajit Sharma as Opposition lawyer Advik Jaiswal as Dhruv Vipul Gupta as Ballu Sahil Sethi as Sameer Abhishek Kaushal as Bunty Tejender Singh as Ghool Abhishant Rana as Nikka Sudhana Sankar as Meera Pahal Samyani as Shweta Tripti Thakur as Savita Akshara Padwal as Vidya Neelam Gehlot as Suman Gauri Dhawal as Megha Devendra Chauhan as Sandeep Anaya Goyal as Sana Divyansh Mohan as Charlie Akanksha Choudhary as Kaveri Special appearances Seema Pahwa Supriya Pathak Naseeruddin Shah == Production == The film was developed by Anubhav Sinha under his banner Benaras Media Works in collaboration with T-Series Films. The screenplay was written by Sinha along with Gaurav Solanki. The project marked another collaboration between Sinha and Taapsee Pannu following their earlier films together. Principal photography took place in 2025. The film’s cinematography was handled by Ewan Mulligan, with editing by Amarjit Singh. The music and background score were composed by Ranjit Barot. == Music == The songs featured in the film are composed by Ranjit Barot. The film score is also composed by Barot. The first single from the film, titled "Mann Hawa", was released ahead of the theatrical launch. == Release == The film was released in theatres on 20 February 2026. After its theatrical run, it is expected to be made available for streaming on ZEE5. == Reception == Rahul Desai of The Hollywood Reporter India commented that "Anubhav Sinha attempts to recreate the urgency of 'Mulk,' but something is amiss this time, and When heavy-handed intent consumes storytelling" Shubhra Gupta of The Indian Express gave 3 stars out of 5 and writes that "Taapsee Pannu film is totally and deliberately in your face, with the filmmakers clearly hoping that you will never be able to get it out of your mind and heart." Nandini Ramnath of Scroll.in stated that "Harrowing, hard-hitting and high-minded – Assi proudly wears the triple-H crown of the conscience-pricking Bollywood social drama." Savera R Someshwar writing for Rediff.com rated it 3/5 strars and observed that "There are moments in Assi when you will get scared, when you will get angry, when you will feel helpless... when you will realise the enormity of the crime." A critic of Bollywood Hungama gave 3.5 stars out of 5 and writes that "ASSI is a hard-hitting courtroom drama that unsettles and stays with you, powered by a gripping premise and solid performances, especially by Taapsee Pannu and Kani Kusruti." Rishabh Suri of Hindustan Times gave 3 stars out of 5 and writes that "This is not a comfortable film, nor does it aim to be. It wants to provoke, to keep the wound open just long enough for the viewer to sit with the discomfort. Assi may not always find the most nuanced way to make its point, but its heart is in the right place, and in today’s climate, that urgency still counts for something." Anuj Kumar of The Hindu observed that "The good thing is, despite being deeply political, Assi’s subtext is not confined to any one side of the ideological discourse on the problem." Dhaval Roy of The Times of India gave 4 stars out of 5 and said that "Though hard-hitting, the narrative resists melodrama, making it more thought-provoking than sensational. It adopts a forward-looking stance through the children who appear during the proceedings, suggesting the need to sensitise the next generation." Vineeta Kumar of India Today gave 3.5 stars out of 5 and writes that "Anubhav Sinha's Assi is not an easy watch, and it isn't meant to be. The film confronts sexual violence, patriarchy and the justice system without offering comfort." Devesh Sharma of Filmfare rated it 4/5 stars and stated that "Assi is, ultimately, a film about complicity, familial, institutional and societal. It acknowledges police overwork and corruption without caricature." Sarita A Tanwar writing for Variety India stated that "Anubhav Sinha’s ‘Assi’ manages to unsettle you to the core. The impact of the film lingers on your mind long after you’ve left the cinema hall." == References == == External links == Assi at IMDb Assi at Bollywood Hungama