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Taapsee Pannu says unconventional films like Assi are on the verge of becoming ‘extinct species’

Taapsee Pannu says that even the OTT platforms do not want to include the unconventional stories. The actor's new film Assi hits theatres on February 20.

Feb 15, 2026, 20:02:42 IST
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Actor Taapsee Pannu is gearing up for the release of her film Assi. The film marks her third collaboration with director Anubhav Sinha after Mulk and Thappad. In the hard-hitting social drama, Taapsee plays a lawyer who takes on a brutal rape case and fights for the victim. Speaking with news agency PTI, Taapsee said unconventional stories like Assi are on the verge of becoming ‘extinct species.’

Taapsee Pannu talked about the current landscape of films and their distribution.
Taapsee Pannu talked about the current landscape of films and their distribution.

What Taapsee said

"We are on the verge of becoming an extinct species, we mean films like 'Assi'. There is a certain template that our so-called commercial cinema abides by and we don't conventionally fall in that template of sorts… The reality is people think that these kinds of films will keep coming on OTT and we will keep watching it. But no, OTT's don't want these kinds of films either. They have clear mandates, that only the films that are working in theatres are the films that they want to pick.”

‘Watching it on OTT is not how you support good cinema’

She went on to add, “They want to take that theatre audience to their platform. They are like, 'We already have this kind of audience, we want those massy pot boilers audiences of our country to subscribe to the platform', That's why I say we are on the verge of becoming extinct unless people realise that we need to watch it. Sometimes it's good to watch reality as well… We have a lot of people saying we don't make good and rooted stories. But when did you support rooted stories? By sitting at home and watching it on OTT is not how you support good cinema. If you like the film, spread the word, let more people come into theatres."

Assi also stars Manoj Pahwa, Kumud Mishra, Kani Kusruti, Mohd Zeeshan Ayyub, Supriya Pathak, Revathi and Naseeruddin Shah.

  • Santanu Das
    ABOUT THE AUTHOR
    Santanu Das

    Santanu Das is a Senior Content Producer at Hindustan Times with over 5 years of experience, writing on films, pop culture and film festivals. He has a keen interest in writing about South Asian independent films and has covered several film festivals, including Sundance and CPH: Docx. He also brings a sharp perspective to the monthly column called The Fault in Our Stars, where he writes about a recent film/series and what stops the ‘good’ from becoming ‘great’. A gold medalist from Banaras Hindu University, Santanu completed his postgraduate studies in English from Jadavpur University. He is also a Rotten Tomatoes-certified film critic. When not watching films or speaking to celebrities, Santanu can be found reading a book. Some of his favourite films are Aparajito, Ponyo and The Double Life of Veronique. His favourite books include The Corrections, The God of Small Things and A Room of One's Own. Santanu continues to write passionately about films and celebrity culture. He brings a relatable, as well as critically informed, lens to entertainment and culture for a wide audience. Find him on LinkedIn: santanudasfilm Instagram: @santupechaRead More

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