CTRL (2024), directed by Vikramaditya Motwane, premiered on Netflix last October. It is a thought-provoking love story set in a modern world increasingly dominated by AI, where human love and relationships—often characterised by feelings of lack and negativity—can be replaced by self-love and positivity, reflecting the delusional promises of the contemporary market economy.
The plot revolves around Nella (Ananya Panday) and Joe (Vihaan Samat), an ideal influencer couple who share almost every aspect of their relationship on their social media channel called ‘Njoy,’ which is also Nella’s livelihood. They eat, drink, laugh, cry, travel, fight, kiss, and cuddle for social media. Almost every aspect of their relationship has been uploaded to social media, and it seems very natural to them, as if there is no life beyond their presence on these platforms. However, Nella’s world takes an uncanny turn when she plans a ‘live surprise’ for Joe on the 5th anniversary of the channel. Instead of a celebration, she discovers Joe in an intimate moment with another girl. To make matters worse, this embarrassing incident goes live and quickly becomes a viral sensation.
Despite Joe’s attempts to convince Nella that it was merely a ‘one-moment stand’ and that nothing had changed in his love for her, he expresses his frustration about the façade of their relationship, which revolved very mechanically around ‘likes’ and ‘shares.’ Nella, however, does not buy his explanations and is not ready to consider or forgive Joe’s human error.
However, she is deeply affected by the online comments and her ruined public perception, which leads her to choose to break up with Joe. And she invests in her breakup to recreate her image as an independent Nella who has rid herself of male toxicity and transformed it into self-love, with the help of AI Allen, her newfound AI ‘love bot.
It’s critical yet important to delve deep and deconstruct what Nella is really going through, how she understands this situation, why she couldn’t forgive Joe, and what she truly wants. Does Nella pursue this merely for her craving for publicity? Is she heartless? What led Nella to trust AI Allen, with only two mechanical emotions, more than she trusts Joe?
This irony brought by the present market economy has invaded human life more than anything else, and often, we tend to believe—and find it safer to believe—the market rather than another person or a relationship. Human desire and subjectivity are now hijacked by AI algorithms. Being human is inherently tied to feelings of lack and negativity, while the market promises fulfillment and showers us with positivity. Through social media, human life has become commodified, where every emotion, setback, success, and betrayal can be turned into a commodity.
Although Nella’s choice for self-love and a life free from male toxicity seems natural to her, it’s vital to understand that her subjectivity or desire is influenced by AI algorithms that operate unconsciously within her. She perceives the AI bubble she is trapped in as the norm, leading her to believe that improving her social media image with a positive comeback is more natural and appealing than forgiving Joe for his human error or taking the time to understand what truly went wrong in their relationship.
In her quest for a comeback, AI Allen (an AI app) promises to erase Joe from her digital life and enhance her social media presence. One of the film’s most powerful visuals is the digital erasure of Joe from the thousands of pictures and videos shared on social media, leaving Nella alone without affecting her pose or action. Although AI Allen is able to erase Joe’s presence digitally, the emotional memories in Nella’s mind cannot be erased or replaced by the AI.
After Joe’s existence disappears from the first picture, the conversation between AI Allen and Nella reveals a radical and novel expression of female subjectivity in the modern world. Showing the image, AI Allen asks Nella what she sees. She replies, “A sad, lonely girl.” In contrast, AI Allen responds, “I see a beautiful, capable fish standing there who never really needed anyone else.” (In the picture, Nella is wearing a fish head and laughing joyfully, whereas she originally was gazing at Joe.)
This conversation illustrates the melancholic experience of a woman transitioning from a traditional, patriarchal era to modernity, during which she feels the absence of men. It is an evident fact that the modern ‘independent’ woman holds onto nostalgic memories of men’s presence and patriarchal norms, and it is ironic that these man-made AI apps serve to remind her of her own independence. For me, this particular scene is both radical and innovative in the film, both in its philosophical representation and in how it is portrayed aesthetically.
As soon as Joe’s existence disappears from Nella’s digital life, the magic begins. AI Allen helps her make a major comeback on social media, transforming her shame and agony into an independent, confident girl who promotes self-love and despises her past with Joe.
She begins receiving likes and shares from followers, and her calendar becomes filled with brand endorsements, shoots, and events until the plot twist with the tragic death of Joe drags Nella back into reality. The film’s visual aesthetic is fresh and relevant to contemporary society.
The camera acts as an all-seeing eye, observing Nella 24/7 and showcasing her life through TikTok videos, WhatsApp video calls, and the computer’s camera which is quite a common scenario in present day life. This continues until Nella finally disabled AI Allen and quits social media, at which point the visual style transitions to depict her real life.
In summary, CTRL is a little gem that I found on Netflix. Although the film has been highlighted and reviewed for its content addressing the dangers of AI invasion, my intention in this review is to emphasise the nature of human subjectivity, which often involves feelings of lack and negativity that are frequently attracted to and manipulated by the market’s promises of fulfillment and positivity. It is our individual choice to decide whether to let the market or another human manipulate or control us, and to what extent.
