Aasha Encounter

Aasha Encounter is a 2022 Indian Telugu-language docudrama film based on the 2019 gang assault and subsequent killing of a young woman in Hyderabad. It is written and directed by Anand Chandra.^[1][2] The film was released on 1 January 2022.

Aasha Encounter
poster
Directed by	Anand Chandra
Written by	Anand Chandra
Produced by	Anuraag Kancharla
Starring	Srikant Iyengar, Sonia Akula, Praveen Raj
Cinematography	Jagadeesh Cheekati & Josh
Edited by	Srikanth Patnaik & Manish Thakur
Music by	Anand
Production company	Anuraag Kancharla Productions
Release date	1 January 2022 (2022-01-01)
Country	India
Language	Telugu

Plot

On 27 November 2019 in Hyderabad, a female veterinary doctor named Aasha (pseudonym given to protect the victim's identity) was brutally gang-raped by 4 men and killed by burning her body under a highway bridge. This incident shocked the country and the criminals had crossed the upper limits in the crime history of India. The police quickly arrested the criminals and when the police tried to reconstruct the crime scene, the criminals snatched the police guns and tried to escape but were subsequently killed in a police encounter. ^[3]

Cast

• Srikanth Iyengar as a NHRC Chief
• Soniya Akula as Aasha
• Sridhar Rao as Bharath^[4]

Production

This film was initially announced to be jointly directed by Ram Gopal Varma and Anand Chandra under the title Disha Encounter, but the name was changed due to the victim's family asking the police regarding the same.^[5] However, the film had issues getting a CBFC certificate and Varma later disassociated himself from the film.^[6]

Release and reception

The film was released on 1 January 2022.^[7] An NTV critic gave a mixed review for the film, appreciating the performances and score while criticizing screenplay and inconclusive climax.^[8]