Kani Kusruti opens up about playing a rape survivor in Assi, assaults and traumas: ‘As a woman growing up in India...’

Kani Kusruti said Assi allowed her to understand the nature of the legal system in India in such cases.

Actor Kani Kusruti, in her upcoming film Assi, plays Parima, a rape survivor. Speaking with news agency PTI, Kani said she believes it is impossible to comprehend the trauma of a rape survivor, but added that she has tried to bring authenticity to it based on the collective reality that women face in India.

Kani Kusruti will essay the role of Parima in her new film Assi.

Kani Kusruti on playing a rape survivor in Assi

She said, "I don't think one can tap into the trauma (of a survivor) exactly. As an actor, we tried to go closest to it, and there can be moments you are probably in it because you are almost believing this has happened to you. But I'm not an actor who would fully go in like that, (because) then it will kind of affect you. I don't tend to do that."

Kani talks about growing up in India

The actor said it is a reality that one often encounters. "As a woman growing up in this country from childhood to now, do I have a sense of such assaults or traumas? Yes, possibly I do, as my close people have gone through it. So, every now and then, this is one of the things that you are closely associated with even when you don't want it to be that way," she added.

The 40-year-old actor said the film allowed her to understand the nature of the legal system in India in such cases and added that often courtroom proceedings can reignite past pain.

Recalling her conversations with friends who are navigating similar cases, she said, “To get justice, you've to go through it (pain), so there is an absurdity and irony within the system, but that's how you get justice, you cannot forget it. In the film, there's also a line, 'They won't let you forget this'.”

About Assi

The Anubhav Sinha-directed movie follows Parima (Kani), a married woman living in Delhi who is abducted and sexually assaulted by a group of men. The film tracks the traumatic aftermath, focusing on the police investigation and the subsequent legal battle. Actor Taapsee Pannu plays her lawyer.

Mohd Zeeshan Ayyub, Manoj Pahwa, Seema Pahwa, Kumud Mishra, and Revathy round out the cast of Assi. Naseeruddin Shah, Supriya Pathak, and Seema Pahwa have special appearances. The film is produced by T-Series and Sinha's own Benaras Mediaworks. Assi explores the growing cases of sexual violence against women.

Kani has garnered acclaim for her work in All We Imagine as Light, Biryaani and the OTT series Maharani. She has also starred in films such as Cocktail, Silent Dark Eyes, Kerala Cafe, Hotel California, The Dolphins, Kalam, and Girls Will Be Girls, among many others. Fans also saw her in Killer Soup, Poacher, and Nagendran's Honeymoons.