Actor Taapsee Pannu is asking audiences to show up for her upcoming film Assi, which releases in theatres on February 20. Ahead of its release, she shared a strong and emotional note on social media, urging people to support films that tell real and meaningful stories.
Taapsee said that if viewers want better cinema, they must also take responsibility and encourage such films at the box office.
“Let’s not blame the industry”
In her Instagram post, Taapsee spoke openly about how easy it is to complain about the lack of quality content in Hindi cinema.
She said people often say that rooted, real stories are not being made, but when such films do release, they don’t always receive enough support.
She wrote that audiences should not “hide behind excuses” or blame the industry when filmmakers are trying their best to bring meaningful stories to the big screen.
According to her, sometimes it is not the film industry that fails but the lack of effort from viewers to step into theatres.
Supporting our own stories
Taapsee also said that if Indian cinema wants to compete with world cinema, the first step is to support local stories. “If we want to compete with world cinema, let’s start with supporting our stories. The real ones,” she wrote.
She added that good films will stop being made not because audiences rejected average content, but because they stayed silent when strong films needed their support.
Her message was clear: quality cinema survives only when people choose to value it.
Special screenings before release
To build trust and connect with viewers, the team behind Assi is organizing special screenings in different cities before its official release.
Taapsee said the team is confident about the film and wants audiences to experience it without hesitation. She added that they do not want anyone to feel regret later for missing out. “You make sure you don’t have a “काश” (kaash) in your narrative,” she wrote.
About ‘Assi’
Assi features Taapsee Pannu in the lead role, alongside Kani Kusruti, Revathy, Manoj Pahwa, Kumud Mishra, and Mohammed Zeeshan Ayyub. The film also includes special appearances by Naseeruddin Shah, Supriya Pathak, and Seema Pahwa.
The film is directed by Anubhav Sinha and produced by Bhushan Kumar, Krishan Kumar, and Anubhav Sinha.
Assi is set to release in theatres on February 20.