Candy and the Pizza Ggirl, written by Abhishek Bhatnagar, has just released on Prime Video. It has caught the attention of cinephiles across the country. Though not a main-stream film, it is appreciated by the critics for its dark humour and the contemporary take on the night life in urban Mumbai.
While ‘Waster’ and ‘A Passenger In Love’ are the earlier films written by Abhishek Bhatnagar. It is Candy and the Pizza Ggirl that has launched him on international platform. Directed by Akkhil Kapur, the film has Shivani Singh, Priya Banerjee, Ninad Kamat and Dara Sandhu in lead roles. Story, script and screenplay writer Abhishek Bhatnagar sportingly faces quirky questions from Paresh B. Mehta, Editor of Filmytown.com –
How do you define the specific “quirk” of this part of the world – the nightlife in Mumbai, and how does it prevent the story from becoming too bleak?
Nothing in India rivals the nightlife between Andheri and Marine Drive. After a decade in Mumbai, I’ve seen firsthand how the city unravels after dark. From drug peddlers to sugar daddies, everyone turns hyperactive, conjuring a surreal world in the city’s party zones for a few frantic hours.
Beneath the cold human emotions lies a scene that is supersonically interesting, never bleak. I found this story during the wild, pre-COVID years—a ‘crazy ride’ that became the blueprint for a drop-dead insane script. I finally put it to paper while that same chaotic world navigated the quarantine period.
Which scene in the script best represents the balance between the “dark” (thriller) and the “comedy” elements?
The scene where Sonny is insanely mad at Candy and throwing stone bombs at her, making her run for her life, captures the perfect balance between the dark and the comedy.
How did you chalk out the peculiarities of the protagonist and the girls? Are any of the characters similar to your real-life friends or acquaintances?
I must tell you that almost all the characters in this film were inspired heavily by real-life friends, acquaintances, or even a friend’s real-life, stone-eyed peddler! (Lol!) Bobby, the central character of the film, is heavily inspired by a good friend who is also quite infamous in our industry. (Again, lol!)
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What is the “absurdist extreme” in this story that separates it from a standard dark comedy?
“Desire of the night.” Every character wants to live out their desires on that single night and ends up in a whirlwind of disaster, which is actually a shadow of their own cold desires.
How different is Candy and the Pizza Ggirl from your previous films – Waster, A Passenger In Love?
Well I think all these three films are very different stories. Waster is the story of a very strong old man living in a dystopian city. A Passenger In Love is about hope and romance in our everyday life… living every day in despair. While Candy and the Pizza girl is a crazy dark comedy which reflects how cold our urban society has become.
All three stories belong to very different genres and have no actual connection to one another, except that they are written by the same writer – Abhishek Bhatnagar! (Lol).
Speaking about Candy and the Pizza Ggirl, the character’s moral failures (flaws) drive the plot forward into more absurd situations?
Yes, for most of the characters, though it also depends on their situation. For example, Mickey has to kidnap Candy because he wants to believe that “he has work” on hand. Meanwhile, Sonny desires to kill Candy because she insulted and slapped him in front of everyone. Sonny hasn’t lost his moral composure entirely, yet deep inside, he desires revenge—even though attempting to murder someone over a public slap is certainly not moral. Essentially, to take the story into absurdist territory, this is the formula I applied to my writing.
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What is the biggest misunderstanding the characters have about their own situation?
Each one of them thinks that everything is under their control because they are ‘smart’ enough to come out of it. Unfortunately, they underestimated another character and eventually misunderstood their moves.
How does the story maintain tension while simultaneously making the audience laugh?
The dark narrative brings so much to the platter every moment, and then, in the next moment, you find that same platter thrown upside down. This constant shift brings a mix of tension and quirk time and again.
How does the script use irony to turn a dramatic, high-tension moment into a comedic one?
I can best explain this with a specific scene. Mickey is a trained actor who desperately needs thousands of social media followers to bag a good film role. Candy is a famous influencer, known only for her face but lacking in skill. When Mickey finds her in a restaurant, the situation creates a perfect irony: if Mickey kidnaps her, he can gain her followers that same night by making reels with her. Kidnapping Candy is a dramatic act that would usually create high tension, but the absurdity of the motive turns the situation comedic.
What do you want the audience to feel in the first ten minutes versus the last ten minutes?
I want them to feel absolutely crazy at every single moment of the film. I want to give the audience a totally bizarre dark comedy that makes them forget everything else and just enjoy a wild, wild ride.
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