Kani Kusruti and Taapsee Pannu in Assi, out on Zee5 now
Why ‘Assi’ rejects comfort to make audiences sit with rape and its aftermath
Dubai: Indian filmmaker Anubhav Sinha’s latest Hindi-language rape trial drama Assi is not an easy watch and it’s not meant to be.
Starring Kani Kusruti, Tapsee Pannu, Kumud Mishra, Manoj Pahwa, and Mohammed Zeeshan, the compelling and visceral courtroom procedural out on Zee5 now delves into sexual violence.
It spotlights a brutal gangrape of a school teacher Parima (a brilliant turn by Kani) in a moving vehicle and survivor's good fight in court with the help of lawyer (an incredible in-form Taapsee) and judge (a stoic Revathi). Zeeshan as the helpless, but grounded husband of a wounded and spirited Parima is also heart-wrenching to watch.
In this candid conversation with Manjusha Radhakrishnan, Gulf News,, Sinha -- whose credits include neat films such as Thappad and Article 15 -- talks about discomfort as a creative choice and the burden placed on survivors after a sexual assault.
His movie's apt title Assi alludes to the grim statistic of roughly 80 reported rapes a day in India. And, one of the most traumatic scenes was the deeply disturbing depiction of the violent act in first 15 minutes. He did not shy away from making it uncomfortable for his viewers, knowing very well that he could alienate viewers who are used to stylistic and toned-down scenes in glossy Indian films.
"When you are designing an assault sequence on a woman, it is highly likely that you will see nudity. And I wanted to stay away from that. That’s the reason why it was designed in a manner where you don’t see the girl at all. There is no way witnessing that act should be bearable," he said.
He was also clear that he didn't want to make it palatable.
"There is no way, in heaven or hell, that this can be just indicative or bearable. It should be in your face, on the nose, and it should bother you deeply."
Excerpts from our chat with director Anubhav who doesn't believe in sugar-coating any tragedy or macabre reality. As he says, it's his brand of patriotic cinema.
Assi left me traumatised. Do you think this film was meant to provoke, disturb and trigger dialogue?
The idea was not to traumatise you, but to disturb you enough. So the next time you read such a news item somewhere, you don’t just go past it casually. And maybe you think about what you can do to improve the situation.
Where does the onus lie then—the survivor, the system, the perpetrators?
The perpetrators are coming from amongst us. The survivor is from amongst us. So yes, it is our problem really. We need to think about it and figure out what we can do at our individual levels. I don’t think the film puts the onus on one person. It puts it on you. That’s why when you finish watching it, you are disturbed because you feel complicit. The perpetrators are coming from amongst us.
We often see survivors being forced to prove their trauma in court. Do you think that needs to change?
It’s a more nuanced conversation. There are also incidents of false reports, and there could be various reasons for that. But in a genuine case, it is unfortunate that the burden of proof rests with the survivor. The entire system should work with her and for her to make sure it is proven. And honestly, the entire judicial procedure becomes a punishment in itself that the woman has to go through. As a society, we must stand by her, give her courage, and support her through that process.
What triggered you to take on such a grim subject? Was there a specific incident?
I don’t think it was just one incident. There are at least 80 [sexual violence against women cases] a day. At least five of them get reported in the national media, and you end up going through them—and then going past them rather comfortably. That’s what was most discomforting that I could go past it comfortably. That’s what triggered the film.
One of the most striking things is how you shot the assault scenes without making them salacious. How did you approach that?
That was the biggest challenge. When you are designing an assault sequence, it is highly likely that you will show nudity. I wanted to stay away from that. That’s why it was designed in a way that you don’t see the girl at all. But at the same time, there is no way witnessing that act should be bearable. It should be in your face, and it should bother you deeply.
Your films often feature recurring collaborators like Taapsee Pannu and Mohammed Zeeshan Ayyub. Is that a conscious ‘tribe’ you’re building?
(Laughs) It’s not like that at all. We barely meet when we are not making a film together. If there is a dinner or lunch at my place, whoever is in town will come, but it doesn’t work like that otherwise. People are busy with their lives and careers. Whenever I finish writing a script, I send it out to all of them and say, “Choose your parts.” Sometimes somebody gets a bigger one, sometimes a smaller one. And that’s how it works.
The film has received strong reviews, but many call it ‘disturbing.’ Do you think that affects viewership?
The reviews have probably been the most flattering of my career. But most of them headline one word - 'disturbing'. If that’s what audiences hear, they get a little discouraged. Still, about 1.2 million people watched it in theatres, which is a fascinating number. Of course, I would have liked more and I hope more people catch it on streaming
Some argue for extreme punishments like capital punishment or shoot on sight in such cases. In an ideal, utopian world, what does justice look like to you? If I could choose, I will choose the latter.
You don’t kill in a utopia, do you? That’s not the solution. You have to see the whole film and you’ll probably understand what I mean.
Do you think films like Assi can actually change how society responds to sexual violence? The other day, I was watching The Pitt and the sensitivity shown by a nurse towards a survivor patient was incredible!
The laws around this are already in place and are sensitive towards survivors. But how they are implemented can vary from place to place. That’s something the system needs to figure out and society needs to push for.
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