Ananya Panday Takes Full 'CTRL,' Solidifying Her Place as Gen Z's Leading Actress

Ananya Panday’s CTRL was released today on Netflix and is garnering positive attention from critics and fans alike. The film deals with the influence of technology on our lives and how it grips every aspect of one’s identity stagnating our real-world bonds.

The film is directed by director Vikramaditya Motwayne who is known for his acclaimed works like Udaan, Trapped and Sacred Games. On asking why he chose Ananya, the director in an interview with Hindustan Times said, “.... I think with Gehraiyaan, I was like, hang on a second, this girl is actually good. I thought that was a really good performance…."

Ananya plays a social media influencer who gets cheated on by her boyfriend (Vihaan Samat) and takes the help of AI to get him deleted from her life and slowly the AI takes control of her life beyond her control (hence the title CTRL). Ananya has a very active social media game herself and understands the complexities of dealing with praise and criticism online, this real-life experience has helped her construct her character more vividly.

The actress delivers a standout performance as the character Nella. She emotes the disappointment, anger, frustration and happiness of the character perfectly and showcases everything her character Nella is going through. While the emotional scenes have no faulty tones, the film’s high-energy action scenes show her physical prowess too. Her performance is a perfect balance of vulnerability and resilience which makes this thriller a compelling watch. 

Ananya is having an amazing 2024, just recently she achieved success with her hit series Call Me Bae which trended in the top 10 in more than 15 countries on Prime, leading to its renewal for another season. Her performances on-screen and her quirks off-screen have made her a very affable personality, which has led to her becoming Gen Z’s favourite actress.

Ananya, despite being trolled from her first film itself, hasn’t let the naysayers get to her and has constantly worked on her craft. She has chosen projects ranging from comedy such as Call Me Bae to drama like Kho Gaye Hum Kahaan and now thriller in the form of CTRL these roles show her constant growth as an actress and her ability to submit completely to the character she is playing.