Ananya Panday Shines in CTRL as Bollywood Praises Vikramaditya Motwane’s Latest Thriller
Bollywood celebs, including Samantha Ruth Prabhu, Anurag Kashyap, and Hansal Mehta, rave about the gripping psychological thriller and Ananya Panday’s standout performance.
Ananya Panday is currently basking in the positive reception of her latest OTT film CTRL. Directed by Vikramaditya Motwane, the screenlife thriller explores the dark side of social media, revealing its potential to harm mental health and even lead to fatal consequences. In a promotional interview, Ananya sparked conversation by expressing her wish for certain apps, like Reddit and photo editing tools, to not exist.
Joined by Motwane in an interview with Instant Bollywood, Ananya was asked which social media platforms she would remove if given the chance. She initially mentioned Reddit but then switched her answer to photo editing apps like Photoshop. Explaining her choice, she said, “I want to see how people look without their photoshopping filters.” When asked whether people still use such apps, she clarified that she was referring to photo editing apps in general. On the other hand, Motwane said he would prefer if X (formerly Twitter) didn’t exist.
CTRL premiered on Netflix on October 4, and since then, it has been receiving widespread praise from both audiences and industry insiders. Samantha Ruth Prabhu was among the first to share her thoughts after watching the 99-minute film. She took to her Instagram Stories to post a recommendation, writing, “Highly recommend and a must-watch #CTRL. It is gripping from start to finish and exceptionally well-made. @ananyapanday you beauty, your performance was outstanding. It made me quickly grab my phone and uninstall several apps. Congratulations, team #CTRL.”
Veteran filmmaker Anurag Kashyap also praised CTRL, applauding the film’s storyline and performances, particularly by Ananya and co-star Vihaan Samat. Sharing a poster of the movie, he wrote, “@motwayne is out with another banger. Pushing the boundaries of technology and storytelling once again. He’s always ahead of the curve—braver than most. This modern-day horror thriller is a nightmare with a career-best performance from @ananyapanday. I was lucky to see it on the big screen, but now it’s streaming on @netflix.in. Watch it with good headphones!”
Kashyap also praised Motwane’s innovative approach, calling him a pioneer in the industry. He reminisced about their long-standing friendship, crediting the director for teaching him about the intricacies of filmmaking, including sound design and photography.
Acclaimed filmmaker Hansal Mehta also shared his thoughts on CTRL, calling it “a mind-bender and a revelation.” He commended Motwane’s filmmaking, describing him as one of the most innovative directors in the industry. “Every film he makes is completely different from the last, always pushing the envelope with new cinematic language,” Mehta wrote. He lauded Ananya Panday’s performance, calling her a “prodigious talent” and saying that she brought depth and humanity to the complex role. “After the thoroughly unabashed Call Me Bae, I’m excited to see what she does next.”
The growing acclaim for CTRL highlights its success as a fresh take on the dangers of our digital lives and showcases Ananya Panday’s evolution as an actress.
