Marvel Wastelanders Doom: Mantra Mugdh says no one can match THIS Bollywood star as superhero, villain | Exclusive

Marvel Entertainment and Audible recently launched the fifth season of their audio series, Marvel’s Wastelanders: Doom, on September 4. This season, artistically directed by Mantra Mugdh, features prominent actors such as Ashish Vidyarthi as Doctor Doom, Yashaswini Dayama as Valeria Richards, Sudhanshu Pandey as Hulk, and Karanvir Bohra as Klaw.

In an exclusive interview with DNA, Mantra Mugdh, who has worked as an RJ, actor, director, and producer, discussed his experience directing talented actors like Ashish Vidyarthi in the series.

 

 

 

 

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When asked how he decides which topics or characters to focus on as the artistic director of Marvel Wastelanders, Mantra explained that his main task is to tap into the actors' imagination. He described it as a "blind man's television," where actors need to have a strong imagination, especially when performing in a closed studio. Whether it's an action scene or a romantic moment, it's all about activating that imagination in the actors

He said, "Actors need to have a strong imagination in this medium. When you're in a closed studio, you have to imagine performing an action scene or a romantic moment. It's all about imagination, so all that I was doing was activating the imaginations of my actors."

When asked about the differences between audio storytelling and live action, the actor explained that the audio format relies heavily on imagination. He said, "It's a completely different medium. Any story can be told in multiple ways—through web series, films, or books. The audio medium is an ancient form of storytelling. Think about how we listen to stories from our grandmothers; we use our imagination to visualize everything they describe. In this format, you get to decide what to imagine."

On being asked about directing such talented artists in Marvel Wastelanders, Mantra Mugdh expressed, "It's been a pleasure. Marvel Wastelanders features a fantastic array of actors, including Kareena Kapoor as Black Widow, Jaideep Ahlawat as Hawkeye, and Saif Ali Khan Peter Quill, Ashish Vidyarthi as Doctor Doom. Each of them is a terrific actor with an experience in their field. One great thing about Ashish Vidyarthi is that he has worked across all mediums—theatre, cinema, and audio. It was easy to work with him because his sense of imagination is so strong. Despite being a senior actor, he brings childlike enthusiasm and a willingness to learn."

When Mantra was asked If you had to cast an Indian actor as a Marvel superhero or villain, who would it be and why? he replied, "Out of all is, I think we have had a wonderful cast. I think Saif Ali Khan is the coolest Peter Quill or even Ashish Vidhyarthi would make such an awesome Doctor Doom. So I thinkthe casting for this particular project has been faboulous."

When asked about the timing of his show on Doctor Doom coinciding with Robert Downey Jr.'s role in the film, the actor said, "It's a happy coincidence. I don't know if it was planned by God, but everything just fell into place perfectly, allowing the audience to enjoy it in both the audio series and the film."

Audible, a leading producer and provider of premium audio content, released the fifth season of the Hindi Audible Original podcast series Marvel’s Wastelanders on September 4. The new season, Marvel’s Wastelanders: Doom, features Ashish Vidyarthi as the voice of Doom and Yashaswini Dayama as the voice of Valeria.

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