Adding a touch of Bollywood glam to the stands, Taapsee Pannu was spotted at the Arun Jaitley Stadium on Thursday, February 12, 2026, cheering for Team India during their record-breaking 93-run victory over Namibia.
Dressed in a stylish black outfit, the Shabaash Mithu star—a known sports enthusiast—was seen deeply immersed in the match. Her presence coincided with a historic night where India posted its highest-ever T20 World Cup powerplay score ($86/1$) and secured its biggest win in the tournament’s history.
The Passionate Plea: “Don’t Hide Behind Excuses”
Earlier that day, Taapsee took to Instagram to share a powerful, long-form note addressed to the Indian audience. With her upcoming film Assi set to hit theaters next Friday, the actress challenged the narrative that “Bollywood doesn’t make real stories.”
- The Challenge: She urged fans to stop blaming the industry for a lack of quality content if they aren’t willing to step into theaters for grounded narratives.
- The “Kaash” (Regret) Factor: Taapsee revealed that the team is so confident in the film that they are hosting special screenings in various cities a full week before the official release to build word-of-mouth.
- Global Competition: “If we want to compete with world cinema, let’s start by supporting OUR stories. The real ones,” she wrote, emphasizing that meaningful cinema survives only when valued by the public.
About Assi: “Eighty. Per Day. Every Day.”
Directed by Anubhav Sinha, the film marks his third collaboration with Taapsee after the critically acclaimed Mulk and Thappad.
| Feature | Details |
| Title Meaning | Refers to the staggering statistic of 80 reported sexual assaults per day in India. |
| Release Date | February 20, 2026 |
| The Plot | A hard-hitting courtroom drama exploring a brutal rape case and the systemic corruption surrounding it. |
| Ensemble Cast | Taapsee Pannu (as lawyer Raavi), Kani Kusruti (survivor), Mohammed Zeeshan Ayyub, Manoj Pahwa, and Revathy (as the judge). |
| Special Cameos | Naseeruddin Shah, Supriya Pathak, and Seema Pahwa. |
The Box Office Clash
Assi will not have a solo run. It is set to clash on February 20 with the romantic drama Do Deewane Seher Mein, starring Siddhant Chaturvedi and Mrunal Thakur. While one film tackles a grave social reality, the other offers a “perfectly imperfect” Mumbai love story, giving audiences two very different reasons to visit the cinema next weekend.