Zwigato Reflects the Autonomy Mirage of Gig Work in India

With the rhythmic sounds of the engine humming softly in the background, Manas was travelling in a dimly lit train. He looked exhausted. Suddenly, a voice full of excitement and promise was heard, loud and clear. It said, “Attention! There’s a new job scheme in town! Secure employment and a brighter future awaits!”. Manas’s heart leapt out of his chest. A brighter future? Secure employment? His ears rang with every successive word. Stability and opportunity were both something he missed having in the past few months. Manas rushed through the crowd with his eyes scanning for the hands distributing the forms for the “Sugam” scheme. But no matter how hard Manas tried he could not get a hold of this life-changing scheme. All of a sudden his surroundings blurred. He woke up, startled and drenched in sweat. This was a dream. The harsh reality of his life settled heavily on his shoulders, right after. Manas delivers food through Zwigato, a fictional  delivery app, which is also the name of the 2022 movie, directed by Nandita Das.

This opening scene captures the essence of the movie. It showcases a poignant portrayal of the struggles of gig workers in India. The movie tells the story of Manas, played by actor and comedian Kapil Sharma, who is a former factory manager who chose to become a food delivery driver after his factory shut abruptly. 

Gig work often gets romanticised as digital nomadism, suggesting a new era where technology enables a workspace that transcends boundaries and offers flexibility. Zwigato shows brilliantly how gig workers navigate the precarious world of the gig economy. It also shines a light on the lived realities of gig workers. The movie shows the flip side of the autonomous and flexible narrative, peddled to attract prospective workers.  

There is no doubt that the gig economy offers income and opportunities to millions of Indians. In the movie, the Zwigato Zonal representative, portrayed by Sayani Gupta, emphasises this fact brilliantly. She is seen responding to a helpless Manas who visits the office to resolve getting blocked arbitrarily by the app.  

It is important to note that performing gig work is tough. It contains long hours for little pay, with concerns on safety, and an absence of social security, like in the case of most other informal jobs. 

Zwigato portrays beautifully how Manas’s work is not just physically demanding but also mentally exhausting. He often struggles to meet delivery targets set by algorithms which lack a human layer. The movie also shows a society that does not offer gig workers the dignity they deserve.

One dialogue that strikes hard is when Manas’s friends say, “Wo Majdoor hai isiliye Majboor hai’, Manas cleverly counters them by saying, “Wo Majboor hai isiliye Majdoor hai”. Through the movie it becomes clear that the colourful promise of flexibility and autonomy offered by gig work obscures the reality of gig workers. Like Manas, gig workers lack consistent salaries and have no sense of familiar human relationships within platforms. For a large country with a huge population like India, gig workers are highly replaceable. If one person leaves, hundreds are waiting to replace them affecting their bargaining power. 

Zwigato raises critical questions about the future of work in India. Questions like, what will the balance between work flexibility and need for social security look like? What will grievance redressal look like to make sure workers are treated fairly?

The International Labour Organisation in a report (ILO, 2024) projects that by 2030, there will be about 2.35 crore gig workers in India. They will account for 6.7% of our non-agricultural workforce. In the absence of quality jobs, such a rapid expansion will worsen the issue of stable employment and access to social security. Duties and responsibilities of the platform towards gig workers are often left open to interpretation. Clear legal frameworks for gig work may help gig workers. It may also be that the absence of unions to represent them, may change. 

An open dialogue between governments, employers, and workers will help in shaping the future of the gig economy. Zwigato makes one rethink many things taken for granted while using services offered by gig workers. The movie offers many layers of complexity making it an important watch to understand the job challenge and how gig work will affect it.