Movie Review: CNTRL

With a refreshingly concise script, free from unnecessary drama, the film masterfully builds tension, leaving you craving more.CTRL excels in depicting social media obsession and AI's influence


Nella Awasthi (Ananya Panday) is a social media influencer. After getting into a relationship with Joe Mascarenhas (Vihaan Samat) from college, the two create a page of theirs that goes by the name of NJoy where they make lifestyle vlogs. Minutes before their fifth dating anniversary, when Nella is live-vlogging to catch Joe's reaction to her surprising him at a local bar where he is socialising with a group of tech enthusiasts, she catches Joe cheating on her. Her reaction and outrage to it creates an uproar on social media. Nella becomes a meme and she also loses all her brand tie-ups because brands prefer to have them together. 
The leads, reunited after their stunning pairing in Call Me Bae, initially feel like extensions from their characters in the series. But CTRL eventually moves forward and takes its true shape as a thriller. 
Motwane keeps the length short at under 100 minutes; and though this does prevent development of characters, it is crucial to prevent the film from dragging. The engrossing background music (Sneha Khanwalkar) and good writing (Avinash Sampath and Sumukhi Suresh) aid his approach. 
It is the quiet moments and cuts between scenes that will leave you intentionally unsettled but unable to look away, though.