CTRL Review: Ananya Panday, Vihaan Samat's Engaging Film Starts Strong But Spirals Out Of Control

Title: CTRL

Director: Vikramaditya Motwane

Cast: Ananya Panday, Vihaan Samat, Devika Vatsa, Kamakshi Bhat, Aparshakti Khurana

Where to watch: Streaming on Netflix

Rating: 2.5 stars

The age of digital romance takes a sharp turn in CTRL, a screen-life film set firmly within Gen Z influencer culture. The story unfolds almost entirely on cellphone and laptop screens, capturing a modern love story entangled in the eerie grasp of AI control.

At its core, CTRL is a tale of betrayal and heartbreak, starring Nella (Ananya) and Joe (Vihaan), the quintessential influencer couple basking in the filtered glow of online perfection. However, the picture-perfect image fractures when Joe cheats, pushing Nella into the arms of an AI app designed to help her forget him—completely. What starts as a quirky tech solution for post-breakup healing spirals into a cautionary thriller about technology’s darker undertow.

Ananya shines as Nella, capturing the unapologetic honesty of her generation. Known for being as much a presence on social media as she is in films, Ananya feels tailor-made for this role. Her performance carries a raw, uninhibited energy, as she navigates the emotional mess of a crumbling relationship with the same nonchalance that defines her Instagram persona. It’s a clever casting decision—both for her generation’s relatability and her resilience to trolls, much like Nella, who faces digital pitfalls of her own. Something is refreshing about her.

Joe, played by Vihaan, is your run-of-the-mill cute, loveable cheater who doesn’t get much room to show remorse, depth, or even his trademark smile. The script boxes him in as the guy who fades from the story, much like his digital presence post-breakup. It’s not entirely his fault—the film doesn’t quite give him the breathing space to evolve, leaving him more like a fleeting Instagram Story than a substantial post.

And then there’s Aparshakti Khurana, playing Allen, the AI-generated assistant with a flirty personality programmed to be endearing. Except he’s only halfway there. Sure, he cracks a few jokes and acts as Nella’s virtual shoulder to cry on, but his potential to turn sinister—especially as an AI—is sorely underdeveloped. It’s almost as though the script forgot it had the perfect opportunity to make Allen the next-gen antagonist but opted for a more polite, watered-down version.

Visually, the film taps into the screen-life genre’s aesthetics, resembling a desktop multi-frame where Nella’s life unfolds through endless apps, chats, and video calls. The film is a tech marvel in its execution, with seamless transitions and natural lighting that make the experience feel organic. But that same vibrant, graphic-heavy aesthetic might be where the film trips on its own feet. It gets too caught up in its interface, leaving the emotional weight of the story a bit impoverished. The film’s ending, in particular, fizzles out—much like a buffering YouTube video that never quite loads the climax you were waiting for.

Ultimately, the film raises pertinent questions about technology’s intrusion into our personal lives, but it doesn’t quite nail the landing. It’s slick, timely, and engaging, which starts strong but finally spirals out of control.