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Manoj se drama, Udit se gaana, Vikas se khana
Updated On: 16 July, 2023 11:02 AM IST | Mumbai | Jane Borges
The pandemic may be long over but the online learning-from-the-master model is galvanising entrepreneurs closer home to bolster a growing edutainment ecosystem of potential and promise
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Manoj Bajpayee, Udit Narayan and Vikas Khanna
When e-education website MasterClass launched in 2015, it became a trailblazer of sorts. Headquartered in San Francisco, and founded by David Rogier, the platform drew the “rich, celebrated and famous” into an unusual online learning model, where they were rapidly elevated to the status of gurus. The sharp trio of actor Dustin Hoffman, tennis ace Serena Williams and bestselling writer James Patterson kicked-off the venture, doling out gems of wisdom in classes that cost no less than $90 (Rs 7,000 approx). Expensive, Indian standards, but not prohibitive considering the names involved. MasterClass’ roster has since grown. You now have Usher talking about the art of performance; Christina Aguilera offering singing lessons; Werner Herzog and Martin Scorsese teaching filmmaking; Dr Jane Goodall showing you ways of conservation; and Bobbi Brown giving classes on makeup and beauty. The list is endless—wait, we forgot to mention the class with far-reaching implications: renowned scholar-linguist Noam Chomsky teaches about media’s invisible powers, and learning “how to cut through propaganda, defend against manipulation, and control what you consume”. With monthly plans starting at Rs 999 a month, the learners’ community today has a rich repertoire to dip into to hone their skill-sets.
MasterClass itself has had an interesting trajectory. In May 2021, when the world was battling the second COVID wave, it raised a massive $225 million in a fresh round of funding, tripling its valuation to $2.75 billion. Less than a year later, it seemed to be tottering, with several rounds of layoffs. According to reports, in June last year, the platform laid off 20 per cent of its 600 staff, bringing its headcount to “half of what it was a few months earlier”.
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