- Tuesday, October 01, 2024
The film delves into the dynamics of internet and influencer culture. CTRL stars Ananya Pandey and Vihaan Samat who play an influencer couple
By: India Weekly
FILMMAKER Vikramaditya Motwane expressed his enthusiasm for creating “CTRL,” a new film that delves into the dynamics of internet and influencer culture.
Known for his previous acclaimed works, such as “Udaan” and “Lootera,” Motwane found the project offered him an opportunity to explore the innovative ‘Screenlife’ format, where narratives unfold through digital screens.
The film’s narrative follows Nella (Ananya Panday) and Joe (Vihaan Samat), a seemingly perfect influencer couple.
When Joe cheats on Nella, she turns to an AI app to erase him from her life—until the app takes control.
Motwane, who co-wrote the screenplay with Avinash Sampath, began developing the story in mid-2020. At the time, they considered it a futuristic concept, unaware it would soon align with current realities.
“When you know the work is special, it drives you and it’s been the same with ‘CTRL’ as well because it’s something we wrote during the pandemic… I was very driven that I want to make this because some ideas stay with you. And when you love something, you’ll always chase it… You can tell very cool stories using the format of someone’s computer screen,” Motwane told PTI.
Motwane reflected on the timely nature of the film, noting the rapid advancements in AI and influencer culture.
“It felt like we were writing a sci-fi film. We didn’t realize it was going to become a realistic film by the time we came around to it. The acceleration that happened in influencer culture and in AI topicality in the last year has been pretty tremendous,” he said.
The film’s relatability stems from the prevalence of screens in daily life, according to Motwane.
“We are all using our devices all the time. I think the message or the story also works for all of us, in a sense, because we are all victims… We are the consumers but we are also being consumed and the film really taps into that part as well. Everybody is spending four to five to six hours a day on our phones, on our laptops so this format could be very familiar to a lot of people.”
In response to potential comparisons with Charlie Brooker’s “Black Mirror,” Motwane welcomed the association.
“Obviously, if this reminds you of ‘Black Mirror’, I’ll take that as a compliment. I think ‘Black Mirror’ is the gold standard of tech-related stories of our times… I’m happy to take that as a compliment, quite honestly,” he stated.
Motwane also mentioned the influence of previous films that utilized the Screenlife format, such as Aneesh Chaganty’s thriller “Searching.”
He praised the collaboration with producer Timur Bekmambetov, who has been a strong advocate for this storytelling method.
The production process presented unique challenges, especially in achieving a realistic portrayal on screen. “I kept telling my crew to make it realistic. I was like, ‘Make it look dirtier, this is looking too pretty, too nice’. You can’t have a film that takes place on a computer screen and make everything end up looking pretty and nicely lit and stuff. It was a challenge to be able to find the right balance,” he said.
Motwane also commented on Ananya Panday’s evolving career, highlighting her performance in “Gehraiyaan.” “I had the same opinion like everybody else like ‘a nepo kid doing movies’, ‘didn’t go to college’ and all that kind of stuff. I think with ‘Gehraiyaan’ (I) was like, ‘Hang on a second, this girl is actually good’. I thought that was a really good performance,” he said, recognizing her growth as an actress.
He added, “Weirdly enough, ‘CTRL’ is also about somebody who gets trolled a lot… I knew the potential was there so I was quite keen to cast her. I won’t say she surprised me but she lived up to every expectation that I put in front of her. She’s been such a pleasure to work with and her work is showing whether it’s ‘Call Me Bae’, whether it’s ‘Kho Gaye Hum Kahan’ or ‘Gehraiyaan’.”
Motwane acknowledged that Panday is “just being the best version of herself” as she continues to develop her skills. “Now with ‘CTRL’, I think that she’s getting better and better and more refined with every performance and is really owning herself. I think she is not being inhibited.”
While there are rumors about a new season of “Jubilee,” Motwane remained non-committal, stating, “let’s see.” He is currently writing multiple projects and is contemplating his next steps.
“CTRL,” a saffron and Andolan production in association with Travelin Bone, premieres on Netflix on October 4.
