At the launch of Spotify’s latest original podcast, Christy Varghese catches up with the team behind Virus 2062 to find out why Richa Chadha and Ali Fazal were brought on board
Spotify’s brand new original podcast, Virus 2062, voiced by Bollywood actors and couple, Richa Chadha and Ali Fazal is now available to stream and download for free on the platform. The audio thriller, a 10-episode, single season affair, is centred around ‘Patient 63’, voiced by Fazal, who tells Dr Gayatri Rajput, voiced by Chadha, at a psychiatric facility, that he’s time traveled from the past to prevent a pandemic.
The podcast is an adaptation of Caso 63, a Spotify Original from Chile. After transfixing listeners with its science fiction and thriller storytelling in Chile and Brazil, the time traveling show has gone the geographical distance with its release in India. It has been produced locally by MnM Talkies, the audio wing of the production house, MantraMugdh Productions, which produced podcasts such as Bhaskar Bose, I Hear You and Darr Ka Raaz with Dr Phobia. Virus 2062 is the first podcast on Spotify India which will be led by voices from Bollywood, bringing together Chadha and Fazal as protagonists.
Actor/RJ Mantra, owner of MantraMugdh Productions, expressed gleefully, “Virus 2062 is hands down the strongest piece of content that has come my way. I can guarantee that people will be sucked into this because there is a voyeuristic pleasure that one may derive from listening to their conversations. I can attest to this because I had mixed the show, however, I am sure the listeners will agree.”
According to Unni Nambudripad, the executive producer of podcasts at Spotify India, “Spotify is where audio storytelling is. The podcast will keep listeners on the edge of their seat. We are releasing all episodes together so that it’s a complete audio thriller experience that can be binge-listened to. It’s also been such a privilege to work with Chadha and Fazal for this podcast given their background in theatre and the creative process they brought while recording the podcast.”
He further shared that the reason they chose Fazal and Chadha was because of their chemistry, and the quality they individually endorse. Mantra pitched in, “We have seen how on the mic their chemistry helped the development of the characters and after witnessing some improvised moments, we knew we had made the right choice in roping in the couple.”
One may think that since a podcast is a new medium, film or television actors may take their time in getting used to the proceedings, however, Chadha doesn’t really agree. She feels that there is a lot more to this than what meets the eye.
“When we train for theatre, we are taught to express ourselves with our voices and bodies. I was glad I was paying attention back then because it came handy for Virus 2062. Recording a podcast is very different from dubbing for shows. It requires the right voice modulation and practice to keep listeners engaged throughout, because even your expressions are reflected in the narration. Since Virus 2062 is a fictional thriller, I had the opportunity to explore a new form of storytelling and it was an insightful experience for me to work with Spotify and Mantra. I have always tried to do unconventional roles in theatre, film, and now on audio, and hope my fans like this new experiment I’ve done”, shared Chadha.
Speaking about his experience and creative process while recording for the show, Fazal said, “Making a shift from onscreen to audio has definitely been a fun ride. It was a very intimate experience, playing with just our voices. The beauty is that we are banking on people’s imaginations. As an actor, I am always looking for ways to expand my creative abilities. While I recall working on a radio play for BBC a long time back, Virus 2062 has broadened my horizons and I am sure that listeners will be hooked right from the word go.”
The original story of Caso 63 was written by Julio Rojas, and is set in the year 2022, when psychiatrist Elisa Aldunate begins a series of therapy sessions with ‘patient 63.’ As the sessions progress, time, space, and reality begin to blur, playing with listeners’ minds. Drama builds over the course of 10 episodes, delivering thought-provoking mystery for listeners.
The team remarked that while Virus 2062 is based on Caso 63, it contains many elements which have been incorporated specifically to cater to the Hindi audience. What are you waiting for, go ahead and stream/download the episodes right away on Spotify!