MAM
Saif Ali Khan’s Marvel’s Wastelanders: Star-Lord to stream free on Audible
Mumbai: Audible, a leading creator and provider of premium audio storytelling, today announced that the Hindi Audible Original podcast series Marvel’s Wastelanders: Star-Lord is now free for all listeners on its service. The podcast series, which has been available for streaming to Audible’s members since 28 June will now be open to all listeners at no additional cost. The move comes in response to immense fan support that the Hindi Audible Original has garnered on its paid tier.
With every artist adding their own flavour to the series, the exceptional ensemble for the Hindi production of Marvel’s Wastelanders: Star-Lord includes Saif Ali Khan as Peter Quill, Vrajesh Hirjee as Rocket, Sushant Divgikr as Cora, Anangsha Biswas as The Collector, Maninee De as Emma Frost and Harjeet Walia as Kraven the Hunter. The Hindi adaptation delivers an immersive audio entertainment experience, artistically directed by leading Indian audio producer, Mantra Mugdh.
“We are thrilled with the incredible response that Marvel’s Wastelanders: Star-Lord has garnered. It stands as one of our most successful releases to date and is a testament to the potential of audio entertainment in India,” said Audible country manager – India Shailesh Sawlani. “It is the love and support of our customers that has compelled us to make the series accessible to a wider audience through its launch on Audible’s free tier. This success demonstrates a shift in the consumption behaviour of the audiences as they seek screen-free engagement. The intimate and immersive nature of the audio medium offers listeners a break from their screens, empowering users to reimagine the story in their own, unique way. We are confident that the larger audiences will shower as much love on Star-Lord as our members have,” he added.
Sharing his excitement, actor Saif Ali Khan said, “Marvel’s Wastelanders: Star-Lord is truly special to me because it’s a series of firsts – my first audio project and my first time playing a Super Hero. With the podcast streaming on Audible’s free tier, I am thrilled that more people will be able to listen to this inspiring story of a fan-favourite character and hope that the listeners will enjoy Star-Lord’s journey as much as I have enjoyed voicing this character.”
Within its first week of launch, Marvel’s Wastelanders: Star-Lord became one of Audible’s strongest releases on its paid tier. On the day of its release, the series trended nationally on Twitter for 24 hours with strong advocacy from fans and creators. In the first three days of the launch, the first episode of the podcast on YouTube garnered 250K views.
Marvel’s Wastelanders: Star-Lord is set in a shadowy alternate future of the Marvel Universe in which the villains have finally won and heroes are nothing but a bad memory. Peter Quill and Rocket are a little slower, and a lot saltier than they were during the glory days of Guardians of the Galaxy. They quickly discover the Earth isn’t what it used to be either when they crash land 30 years after Doctor Doom takes over a barren, desolate wasteland and all the world’s Super Villains seized control, including outlaw Ghost Riders and the bloodthirsty Kraven the Hunter. Discover secrets, experience thrilling action sequences laced with humor, and delve into complex character dynamics as the story unravels across the immersive soundscape of an audio series.
The series comprises of six seasons in total, each focused on a different Marvel Super Hero. The second season, Hawkeye, will debut in September 2023. The six-season audio epic originally launched as an English-language series in June 2021; this is the first season of the exclusive Hindi-language edition of the story.
The Hindi production of Marvel’s Wastelanders: Star-Lord will be accessible to all listeners for unlimited listening on Audible.in, starting 31 August.
Brands
EcoMedia Solutions launches EcoMeter to track carbon impact in media
New tool aims to bring real data and accountability to ads and events
GURUGRAM: EcoMedia Solutions has rolled out EcoMeter, a new solution designed to bring sharper carbon accountability to advertising, media, marketing and events.
Built on its proprietary EMS platform, EcoMeter aims to help brands and agencies measure the environmental impact of campaigns and on-ground activations using real-world data rather than broad estimates.
The move comes as sustainability gains traction across boardrooms, even as measurement within the advertising ecosystem remains patchy and often reliant on spend-based assumptions. EcoMeter attempts to change that by using localised emission factors and activity-based inputs, offering a more grounded view of carbon output.
“Today, most carbon calculations in our industry are derived from spends or broad averages. That does not reflect what is actually happening on the ground,” said EcoMedia Solutions founder & CEO Rumjhum Gupta. She added that the tool factors in variables such as location, execution and materials to deliver a more accurate picture.
The platform allows users to compare media choices based on environmental impact, plan lower-carbon campaigns and generate data-backed ESG and BRSR reports. It spans formats including OOH, DOOH, print, digital and live events, bringing sustainability into the same decision-making framework as cost and performance.
EcoMedia Solutions says the larger goal is to move the industry beyond surface-level sustainability claims towards measurable action. As scrutiny from consumers, investors and regulators intensifies, tools like EcoMeter could play a key role in helping brands back intent with credible data.
With this launch, the company is betting that the next big metric in advertising will not just be reach or ROI, but impact that can be counted in carbon.
