In the limelight for her vivid performance as a rape victim in the upcoming film Assi, Kani Kusruti captivates the audience with her emotional depth. The film marks her third collaboration with director Anubhav Sinha and co-star Taapsee Pannu.
The trailer of ‘Assi’ created a storm of response from the moment it was released and put the actor Kani Kusruti in the center of attention. The film reunites director Anubhav Sinha and the actor Taapsee Pannu third after “Mulk” and “Thappad”. The story is about rape and contains some emotionally difficult moments.
Audiences who watched the trailer focused intently on Kani’s role as a rape victim.
Her performance remains controlled and deeply impressive. It makes a strong impression and prompts viewers to learn more about her path and work.
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According to Network 18, Kani Kusruti is playing the lead role in Assi. The trailer highlights several emotional scenes that rely heavily on her performance. The blurb notes that “in a trailer full of tense moments, Kani’s presence feels even and unsettling. She’s not loud. She lingers.” This description reflects the audience’s reaction. Many began to ask, “Who is Kani Kusruti?”
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She was born in Cheruvakkala, a small village in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala. Now 40, she has devoted almost two decades to working in Indian film industry. Some Hindi moviegoers are only now discovering her work, but she is already firmly established in Malayalam cinema. She first gained widespread attention thanks to the 2009 anthology film Kerala Cafe. She subsequently appeared in Malayalam films such as Shikkar, Cocktail and Ok Computer.
Her choices have been towards complex characters instead of mainstream roles, which has helped shape her personality as a performer.
Kani Kusruti’s Career Highlights and Awards
In 2020, Kani played one of the most talked about roles in the film Biriyaani. This film brought her great appreciation and recognition. She won the Best Actress Award at the Kerala State Film Awards, which was a turning point in her career.In 2024, she appeared in the film “All that we imagine is light”. The film was screened at international film festivals and won several awards.
It was also nominated for Best Foreign Language Film at the Golden Globe Awards. In the same year, she appeared in Girls Will Be Girls, produced by Richa Chadha and Ali Fazal and released on Amazon Prime Video.Assi also stars Revathi, Manoj Pahwa, Kumud Mishra, Mohammed Zeeshan Ayub, Naseeruddin Shah, Supriya Pathak and Seema Pahwa. The premiere of the film in cinemas is scheduled for February 20, 2026. Early trailers suggest that many viewers will get their first up-close look at Kani Kusruti’s work through Assi.
