Celebrity teaching platforms promise specially curated online courses from celebrities

Learning your favourite topic from the celebrities you admire is now just a click away. Celebrity teaching platforms are breaking the Internet as they help bridge the gap between the expertise of stars with those who wish to master the subject.

Celebrities across different fields come together on these platforms to prepare customised courses for neophytes.

Here’s a quick look at some such platforms...

FrontRow

Are you the sporty kind that loves the smell of fresh grass in the morning and the sound of the red cherry hitting the willow? Or maybe you can’t have enough of stand-up comedy? The likes of Suresh Raina, Yuzvendra Chahal and Bhuvneshwar Kumar have lined up their best for a course on the fields that they have aced for years, while Biswa Kalyan Rath and Raju Srivastav are doing the same for comedy. Do you like to strum your guitar to new-age music? Imagine learning DJing from SARTEK or Rap from Gully Gang, music composition from Amit Trivedi or singing from Neha Kakkar! You can do it all on FrontRow.

The course on DJing will have a live class every week for the next couple of months. The courses are mostly available as pre-recorded lectures, except the one on DJing. The platform also has courses on gaming, song writing and creative writing in the pipeline. It is currently forwarding the proceeds from sale of these courses to the cause of COVID relief in India.

Pocket Pinch: Individual courses range from Rs 999 to Rs 1,499. The course on DJing comes at a subscription cost of Rs 11,999. An all- access plan costs Rs 9,499.

Student’s Speak: “The idea of such platforms is pretty novel and the courses promise something really interesting. I really look forward to the course on music composition as it might be the launchpad of my career! The best part about this is lifetime access and the opportunity to learn the art from the master, Amit Trivedi, at such an affordable price. It’s a great deal,” said said Sayan Karmakar, a 2021 Mass Communication and Videography graduate from St. Xavier’s College, Kolkata.

Unluclass

The platform has a wide variety of online courses lined up. You can take your pick from courses on writing, direction and acting to tennis, comedy, singing and pilates. Here, personalities like Ruskin Bond, Manoj Bajpayee, Monali Thakur, Sania Mirza, Radhika Karle, Shashank Khaitan and Johnny Lever teach the secrets of the art they excel in. The courses are available as pre-recorded lectures.

In addition, you can also request a custom video message from your favourite among the celebrities Unlu has collaborated with. This includes the likes of Nargis Fakhri, Salim Merchant and Shweta Tripathi.

Pocket Pinch: Individual courses on the platform range from Rs 999 to Rs 1999. An all-access plan costs Rs 14,999.

Student’s Speak: “Right from my school days, I have wanted to become a published author. But budding writers like me often lack proper guidance on how to piece together a story. On this platform, one of my favourite authors, Ruskin Bond, is ready to guide me through this beautiful journey of story writing,” said Swapnaneel Dutta, a first-year masters in International Relations student of Jadavpur University.

Celebrity School

From make-up, dance and cooking to photography, communication and singing — Celebrity School serves up an inviting mix. Celebrities on board share their experiences and learnings with young people aspiring to make a name of their own. Here Ranveer Brar teaches cooking, Ganesh Acharya teaches dancing and Ojas Rajani teaches the fundamentals of make-up and hairdo.

You can learn photography from Dabboo Ratnani, singing from Shaan, communication from Sabira Merchant or direction from Madhur Bhandarkar. The platform also offers courses on acting by Nawazuddin Siddique and courses on business by Siddharth Prabhakar.

Pocket Pinch: Individual courses on this platform are priced at around Rs 9,999. An all-access plan costs Rs 15,999.

Student’s Speak: “I have always found filmmaking rather intriguing. The way a camera can do wonders is beyond words. I have watched several videos on YouTube to understand the mechanics behind cinematography, which at times has to be done in adverse environments. Having the opportunity to learn from a stalwart like Madhur Bhandarkar will be an experience to savour,” said Prachi Verma, a 2021 Political Science graduate from Gokhale Memorial Girls’ College.

MasterClass

If learning a few soft skills is on your mind, MasterClass is probably the best option. It offers a host of courses on wide-ranging topics like dog training, sales, interior designing and the science of better sleep. Learning cooking from Gordon Ramsay or writing from N.K. Jemisin is just a click away on this platform.

Arts, entertainment, home, lifestyle, writing, business, food, music, design and style, gaming, wellness, community and governance are some of the topics covered by this platform. Your interests in these fields can finally be converted into some real-time learning.

Pocket Pinch: A subscription to the platform costs Rs 1,295 a year.

Student’s Speak: “I think this platform has a very thorough lesson plan where we get to learn all aspects of design like presentation, photography, typography and many more. David Carson teaching the course is the best that one can ask for,” said Debashrayee Roy, a third-year student of National Institute of Fashion Technology, Hyderabad.