Launched by Akshay Kumar and Rana Daggubati, is it the next big thing?
By Simran Kaur
In December 2020, actors Akshay Kumar and Rana Daggubati announced they were in the process of creating a modernistic social media platform called Socialswag.
Via the platform, users would be able to interact and engage with a plethora of bloggers, celebrities, influencers, and others, and these interactions would take many forms including participating in masterclasses, having shout-outs, joining live- chats, and taking online selfies.
While discussing the inspiration behind the app, Akshay explained that “Being able to connect with fans through this platform with some of our products like my Masterclass or the Virtual Selfie will give not only me but all my peers an additional opportunity to closely connect with fans.”
Adding onto this, co-founder Rana said “We will bring the best of sport, entertainment, and vocational opportunities for the platform and look to make it best in class. Our launch with our first few products will be in the first quarter of [2021] and the team is working towards making the fan experience a unique one for the global Indian audience.”
The platform aims to focus on education, entertainment, and offering people one-of-a-kind experiences. Similar to the the brand MasterClass, Socialswag provides Indian creators a platform to share their talents and skills with the world with prices starting at THB B430 (INR 999) or a chance to participate in live classes starting from TBB 130 (INR300 per class).
As of now, some celebrities whose Master Classes can be found on the platform are Vicky Ratnani, Lara Dutta, and Avinash Gowariker. With classes available for cooking, dancing, photography, and building a business, there’s something for almost everyone! Although there is a relatively small range of class options available right now, options are set to increase in the near future with more masters being given opportunities to showcase their talents.
Beyond Socialswag, other celebrities have also used this period to create platforms that can positively impact society. Recently, actor Shreyas Talpade launched an app called Nine Rasa through which theatre actors and live-performing actors can share their performances during the pandemic. It’s a paid subscription service, similar to Netflix, where viewers can enjoy plays from home while supporting the casts, crews, and all of the theatre community.
