Anubhav Sinha on ‘Assi,’ Patriarchy and Courtroom Realism: ‘This Is a Story of Rape. This Is Not the Story of an Individual’

Home Film News Apr 16, 2026 9:20pm PT Anubhav Sinha on ‘Assi,’ Patriarchy and Courtroom Realism: ‘This Is a Story of Rape. This Is Not the Story of an Individual’ By Naman Ramachandran Plus Icon Naman Ramachandran Latest ‘Thelma & Louise’ Musical to Open Young Vic’s 2026/7 Season, Plus Ben Whishaw and Kathryn Hunter in ‘Eurotrash’ Play 19 hours ago Adelaide Film Festival Goes to Cannes Lineup Includes Ukrainian War Portrait, Ecuador Indigenous Doc and Victorian Wilderness Thriller (EXCLUSIVE) 20 hours ago Richard Kind on Returning to Max Bialystock in Mel Brooks’ ‘Producers’: ‘He’s a Heinous Man Who Is Loved’ 20 hours ago See All Benaras Media Works Anubhav Sinha spent years carrying the unease before “Assi” became a film. The director, whose socially driven second act began with “Mulk” in 2018, tells Variety that the subject of sexual violence never fully left him between news cycles and candle-march protests. “Maybe it goes away from your front lobe,” he says, “but it stays there.” The reckoning came when he stopped blaming institutions and looked closer to home. Related Stories Cannes' Critics Week Unveils 2026 Lineup, Kicking Off With California-Set Animated Feature 'In Waves'