Bollywood actress Ananya Panday.
Credit: X/@ananyapandayy
Mumbai: Actor Ananya Panday says she was in disbelief when filmmaker Vikramaditya Motwane approached her to star in his next feature film CTRL.
The cyber-thriller movie marks her maiden collaboration with Motwane, known for directing critically acclaimed movies such as Udaan, Lootera and Trapped.
Panday said she has been a fan of Motwane's work as a filmmaker, starting from his 2010 debut movie Udaan.
“Udaan is my and my mother’s favourite film to watch together, so it was a dream for me... I actually did not believe for the longest time that he was actually asking me to be a part of the film. I was like, ‘You are just going to be there, you are not actually directing the film?’ He said, ‘I’m directing it’,” the 25-year-old actor told PTI.
Also starring Vihaan Samat, CTRL has been described as a cutting-edge thriller that will challenge the way people view their reliance on technology.
In the movie, the two actors star as Nella Awasthi and Joe Mascarenhas, a couple who create content together and are loved by their Internet audience.
“But what happens when they break up? In a world where data is power, how much sharing is too much? How much of your life are you willing to share, and do you slowly lose control in the process?” read the official synopsis.
Panday said she had a “wonderful and different” experience while working on CTRL with Motwane.
“It was a different experience for everyone, given the kind of film it is. You will see more of it when it starts coming out. But he (Motwane) as a person is just wonderful, he is one of those directors who are in the moment. But the more time I spent away from him; I realised how much I learned from him. He is outstanding," she added.
CTRL is set to arrive on streaming service Netflix on October 4. It is produced by Saffron and Andolan Films.
Panday currently features in debut series Call Me Bae, which is currently streaming on Prime Video. The comedy drama show is written by Ishita Moitra, Samina Motlekar and Rohit Nair, and directed by Colin D'Cunha.