BEFORE YOU SIGN UP...
WHAT TO EXPECT
Reasonable rates: Most Indian masterclasses cost a few hundred rupees per class, not a bad price for even a few batting tips from Suresh Raina or a brief guide from Johnny Lever on how to craft a good joke. Many of the companies also offer discounts all year round.
A wide range of options: There are sessions on dance, photography, make-up artistry, tennis, gaming, comedy, cooking, singing, filmmaking, casting and acting. There’s flexibility in purchase options too. You can buy a single course cheap, and watch and rewatch it for a year; pay more for lifetime access to it; pay even more for add-on features and / or a year-long all-access pass.
Convenience: You can go through these masterclasses at your own pace, and some companies let you revisit the session, over and over, for life.
Help beyond the sessions: Most masterclasses in India come with eworkbooks and exercises that can be practised at home. Some platforms also offer online community events where people who paid for a masterclass can discuss what they learnt, try out the exercises, and get feedback from others who bought the same course. And there are platforms that, for an additional fee, offer a shot at an offline mentorship with the star who conducted the session.
WHAT NOT TO EXPECT
A technical crash course: A masterclass is not meant to teach you how to use your camera, perfect a backhand, or emote for the screen. Think of the masterclass as a combination of TED talk and quick how-to. What you will walk away with is an expert’s perspective, some hacks and tools, and perhaps inspiration to learn more.
One-on-one interaction: You won’t get to ask questions or seek feedback, though some masterclass companies do organise Facebook and Instagram Lives from time to time, where you could submit questions and hear more from your mentor.
Language options: Most masterclasses are in English, Hindi or Hinglish and have no subtitles. Regional languages rarely feature. If you are a non-Hindi speaker, it will be hard to pick up tricks from director Madhur Bhandarkar, and if you aren’t fluent in English, you won’t be able to access Ruskin Bond’s tips on writing.