Have we created our biggest enemy in the name of technological advancement? The cyber thriller movie CTRL has left me with the horrors of artificial intelligence (AI), as every opened tab on my screen feels like an invasion of my privacy. Starring Ananya Panday and Vihaan Samat, CTRL compels viewers to become responsible consumers of the internet rather than obedient dummies. CTRL begins with the portrayal of the dreamy love story of Nella Awasthi (Ananya Panday) and Joe Mascarenhas (Vihaan Samat), who take the internet by storm. Read this CTRL movie review before hitting the play button.

The reality of the reel love

Joe and Nella have made an entire career out of their online cutesy romance, as every brand wants to collaborate with them. Is there more to their relationship than raking followers, likes, subscribers, and money? Their relationship meets a terrible end when Nella finds Joe cheating on her. An enraged Nella’s world falls apart as their Instagram audience holds her accountable for the breakup. Her misery escalates as brands no longer want to work with her. It further worries her about her life taking a U-turn and bringing her back to Delhi’s mediocrity that she left years ago.

The digital monster

Nella readily seeks help from an AI assistant when she comes across the app CTRL, a platform created by the firm Mantra Unlimited. Allen, the AI devil dressed as a comic flirt, takes administrative control of Nella’s computer, life, and happiness to erase her digital past. Nella’s new AI friend comes out as the perfect guy every woman wants. Little does she realise he is a total red flag. He virtually spies over her every online and offline interaction, as users have to keep their cameras on 24/7. CTRL is a cautionary tale about the possible terror of AI, as your so-called personal data is under constant threat. The movie compels us to question the truth as we buy into the end-to-end encryption messages.

Why is AI the way it is?

AI is the creation of a few powerful humans who want to take control over the rest. Employed to erase the digital footprint of Nella’s ex, Allen intervenes to the extent that he wipes out Joe’s existence in real life. Joe knew about the big scam of Mantra Unlimited and wanted to expose them to the world. He even recorded a video explaining how the CTRL app tampers Mantra’s consumers’ private lives. It collects their data to sell to other companies. This way, people are forced to speak, think, and act as the company wants them to. However, Joe is killed before calling them out publicly. When Nella finds the truth, Allen creates a deep fake of Joe’s voice. He changes the entire truth, turning everything against Nella and getting her arrested. Is AI helpful, or is it setting the path to our destruction?

From script to screen

The film’s director, Vikramaditya Motwane, shares writing credits with Avinash Sampath and Sumukhi Suresh, and CTRL promises several belly laughs. The movie wouldn’t surprise you but won’t leave you with a dull experience either. The wonderful cameo by the comedians Tanmay Bhat, Rohan Joshi, and Vishal Dayama is a treat to the eyes.

On the performance front, Ananya Panday has finally become the poster girl for Gen Zs, as evident in her roles in Call Me Bae, Kho Gaye Hum Kahan, and now CTRL. Cut from the same cloth, she seems to be playing similar characters. I’d be surprised if she’d have a happy relationship with someone where no one is cheating on each other. The movie also casts other Bollywood gems, including Vihaan Samat, Devika Vatsa, Kamakshi Bhat, Suchita Trivedi, Samit Gambhir, and Ravish Desai. They have elevated the script to a level that does justice to the movie’s runtime.

That’s all for the CTRL movie review. It is now streaming on Netflix.

Can you watch it with your family? Definitely! The movie doesn’t contain any explicit scenes or obscene language that might be uncomfortable for your family.

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