Exclusive: Yashaswini Dayama Talks About Her Experience While Working on Marvel's Wastelanders

Actress Yashaswini Dayama is gearing up for the release of her audio series, Marvel's 'Wastelanders'. The sixth and final season of the Hindi Audible Original series has released on March 12. Yashaswini plays Valeria Richards who is the smartest woman on Earth, immortal and lonely beyond reason, and all the Super heroes have to team up to defeat her. 

In an exlusive Interview with PopDiaries, Yashaswini opened up on her experience while working on this series. 

Can you share your experience of working on this unique audio series?

Voice acting has been something I’ve wanted to do for a long time. Growing up, I watched many cartoons dubbed in Hindi, and some of my family members worked in dubbing, which intrigued me. I even dabbled in voice acting as a teenager, though I wasn’t very good at it then. As I grew as an actor, I knew I wanted to return to it. Audible and I already had a working relationship from the Adulting audio series. When Marvel’s Wastelanders came along, I was in disbelief because the cast was amazing. I never imagined they’d pick me to play a complex character like Valeria Richards. I thought I’d be cast as someone cute and funny because of how I sound. But they saw potential in me, and together we worked on developing her voice and emotional depth. The process was intense and immersive. Voice acting isn’t just sitting in a room with a mic; it involves physical movements like running in place, panting, screaming, and crying to make sure the listener truly feels the emotions. It’s been an exhausting yet rewarding experience.

How is voice acting different from acting on screen? What do you enjoy about both?

I love both, but they require completely different approaches. My first love is music, and voice acting feels close to that because it's a purely vocal medium. Cinema, on the other hand, has always been integral to us as Indians, given our deep connection with Bollywood. In visual acting, body language supports emotions—you can be sad without sounding sad, and your eyes can convey that. But in voice acting, every breath, tremble, and projection of your voice carries the emotion. It’s nuanced and exciting. Often, I realize that if a camera were on me, I’d act differently, but with just a mic, I have to find new ways to bring a character to life.

Do you think podcast and audio series are the future of entertainment?

I think they’re already a big part of entertainment. We live busy lives, and audio storytelling lets people enjoy stories on the go—while commuting, at the gym, or cooking. Storytelling is essential to human connection, and audio series provide that connection even when we’re physically elsewhere. It’s powerful, whether it’s an uplifting story or a dark thriller while doing household chores. It keeps us engaged with the art of storytelling in a new way.

Your character, Valeria Richards, is complex and villainous. What was your process for getting into the role?

I tend to avoid over-preparation, so I go in slightly undercooked and rely on collaboration. Mantra, who directed most days, guided me well. Before recording, we’d explore different ways to approach scenes and find Valeria’s voice. He would cue me with the other characters’ lines, which helped me react naturally. I listened to the English podcast for context, but we wanted the Hindi version to have its own uniqueness. The process was very collaborative. My main preparation was maintaining my voice and stamina, but most of the character work happened in real-time through teamwork.

Marvel has such a vast universe. If you could play any other character, who would it be?

I’d love to be Ms. Marvel! Or Gwen Stacy from Spider-Verse—both are amazing characters.

Marvel has a huge fanbase, especially in India. Was it overwhelming when you were first approached?

I was super excited! I’ve always been a nerd, watching animated Marvel shows and movies. One of the best experiences was going to Comic-Con after Wastelanders was announced. Seeing how much these characters mean to people was incredible. Interacting with fans made me truly understand the impact of being part of this universe.

Lastly, can you share anything about your upcoming projects?

I can’t reveal much yet, but I have something coming out this year, so stay tuned!