Tech gone wrong: Ananya Panday's thriller ‘CTRL’ to explore the dark side of social media
Ananya Panday is gearing up for her latest role in the Netflix thriller CTRL, directed by the acclaimed Vikramaditya Motwane. The streaming platform recently released the trailer, revealing an intriguing premise that explores the darker side of technology and social media.
In CTRL, which comes with the tagline ‘CTRL your life. ALT your memories. DEL the baggage,’ Ananya plays Nella Awasthi, a young woman who, after discovering her boyfriend (played by Vihaan Samat) has been unfaithful, turns to a mysterious app designed to “take control” of her life and happiness. What starts as an innocent decision soon spirals into chaos when her boyfriend vanishes from real life, leading to Nella being accused of his disappearance and possible murder. The thriller promises a gripping narrative that blurs the lines between the online and offline worlds.
The film delves deep into the consequences of living in a hyper-connected, data-driven world. The trailer hints at suspense, as Nella’s relationship and her life are meticulously documented online, leading to the unravelling of events when her app intervention takes an unexpected turn.
Talking about her character and the film’s theme, Ananya Panday said, "My character Nella is like any of us. She's caught up in a world dominated by technology and social media. CTRL explores how we navigate the fine line between our online presence and who we are in real life. Working with Vikram sir and Nikhil sir has been an incredible journey."
Vikramaditya Motwane, who is known for his unique storytelling, discussed the inspiration behind CTRL, saying, "CTRL has been a totally unique journey for me and the team. It's told in what we call the screen life format, which is telling a story in an almost voyeuristic way using the tech that we use literally every single day. Our goal has been to create this incredible immersive experience, and Netflix as a platform has really helped us in reaching our global audience."
The film, which is slated for an OTT release on October 4, marks an exciting venture for both Motwane and Netflix. Ruchikaa Kapoor Sheikh, Director of Original Films at Netflix, commented on the significance of the project: "We think technology helps us have it all under control. But does it? CTRL navigates these vital questions in today's digital-first age. We're excited to bring this thrilling Netflix original to audiences worldwide through Vikramaditya Motwane's unique lens."
Producer Nikhil Dwivedi also praised the collaboration, stating, "Collaborating with Vikram and Ananya has been an extremely pleasant experience. I quite believe Vikram is a very unique talent, and Ananya is proving herself to be quite a superior artist with every passing work of hers. Vihaan is equally impressive, and he's somebody to watch out for. When Vikram brought this script to me, I observed that it had an extremely innovative narrative, and it was something I really wanted to back. Now I am very eager to see it as a full feature and how it resonates with a wider audience all across the world."
Produced by Saffron and Andolan in association with Travelin Bone, CTRL also stars Vihaan Samat and features an innovative narrative style that promises to captivate viewers worldwide.