Mantra On The Indian Adaptation Of Marvel’s ‘Wastelanders’

Actor-producer Mantra is the director of the Indian adaptation of Marvel’s popular podcast Wastelanders. Best known for his comic pieces and podcasts, Mantra is also a an RJ and runs two production houses – MnM Talkies and Mantramugdh Productions.

Populaer Bollywood stars Kareena Kapoor, Saif Ali Khan; actors Jaideep Ahlawat, Sharad Kelkar, Ashish Vidhyarthi, Vrajesh Hirjee, Mithila Palkar, Sushant Digvikr, Prajakta Koli, Yashaswini Dayama, Anangsha Biswas and celebrity designer Masaba Gupta are set to lend their voives for the Audible series Marvel Wastelanders.

In this interview, Mantra talks about his journey as a producer, taking upon the task of creating an Indian version of Marvel’s Wastelanders and the progress of podcasts in India.

We have seen adaptations work well, and also fail miserably in the past. Do you have that pressure on your mind with working on Wastelanders?

I appreciate good adaptations. I have seen, read and heard some amazing works. My favourite being Vishal Bharadwaj’s Maqbool (based on Shakespeare’s Macbeth, or a play I work in, Piya Behrupiya which is an adaptation of Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night, both brought something that made them very special. I enjoy creating both original and adaptations. Adaptations give you the opportunity to bring someone’s story into your own world.

Wastelanders is the biggest project for MnM Talkies till date. What has been the easiest part?

I do not judge a project on basis of its magnitude, I like to work on projects that give me an opportunity to express myself. I am glad Audible continues to have faith in MnM Talkies. Yes, Marvel has created some of the most iconic characters and it’s those characters that excite me the most. The easiest part has been to fall in love with them.

Both MnM Talkies and Mantramugdh Productions are now well-established. Looking back at the journey, were there moments when you had self-doubts? How did you sail through those?

Being successful was never a priority, it has been a byproduct. Thus, there was never any pressure, cause there was no goal. I am grateful to have met like-minded people along the way who believed in the common vision.

Tell us about your three-dimensional audio production, the podcast Kaan Oh Kaan.

The most powerful Sound is silence. The Vacuum. We want to give our listeners an experience of being in a space which they can imagine with the power of sound. Kaan oh Kaan is a three-dimensional audio experience. With a pair of headphones, listeners would be able to visualize the pictures in their mind and often find themselves in the centre of the story.

How has the podcasting industry grown over the years in India, and what new avenues do you see in the near future?

I would say it’s still at a nascent stage and has a long way to go, although the future looks bright and the new players will bring in new energy. The community that this medium has gifted us with is enough proof that our country is ready for more podcasts.

How was it winning three awards at India Audio Summit & Award 2023 recently and what are the future plans for MnM Talkies?

It’s always good to be appreciated for your work. It’s been an incredible journey and I am grateful the industry recognizes that. MnM will strive to make quality audio content.