Computer Jobs to the Economics of Creators: The Voyage of India through three Bollywood films
Consider three films made and published about a decade: Dil chahta hai (2001), Zindagi na milegi dobara (ZNMD, 2011) and Kho Gaye Hum Kahan (KGHK, 2023). They have a lot in common. Everyone is a story of transition to adulthood. The plots are simple: three friends, all in their twenties, sail on career choices, relationships and life goals on the way to adulthood. The main characters are urban, educated and higher or richer lessons. They represent a small fraction of India, with the luxury of life choices and time and energy to reflect them. This three -films arc, covering two and a half decades, captures the changing aspirations of educated and educated and wealthy youth from India.
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The biggest change captured by films is the transformation of the labor market between 2001 and 2023. Dil chahta haiTwo of the prospects join family businesses in computers and exports, while the third is an artist. This reflects the real growth engines of this time: information technologies and exports. The strong growth in the outsourcing of software development in the mid -90s has perfectly equaled the Indian youth basin educated at low prices.
Most jobs required limited training, and institutes such as Niit Chauchen to provide “computer classes” to desperate students to set up the boom in technology. At the same time, the liberalization of exchanges and the devaluation of the rupee pushed exports, including computer exports. The creation of jobs in exports was strong in the first years – at its peak in 2008, the sector generated 77 million jobs.
The optimism of the first post-liberalized decade continued until 2008, industry, construction and financial / professional services increasing at a robust pace. Rightly so, the ZNMD trio included an advertising agency editor, a financial broker and a business industry businessman. Two of the three were employees of the service sector – a passage from the usual Bollywood representation of the rich as a businessman. Once again, this was very representative of the evolution of trends: strong economic growth associated with a rush of multinationals in India has provided two -digit salary increases for qualified professionals.
In fact, a first international job was very possible for the best talents: the number of publications abroad at the Indian management institute, the promotion of Ahmedabad increased from 26 in 2011 to 40 in 2012. The fact that the ZNMD financial broker lived and worked in London reflected this trend.
The young Indian professional 2011 was confident, well traveled and at home in the world. In Dil chahta haiFriends made a road trip to Goa; The plot of ZNMD collapsed during the holidays in Spain. The point to take? In 2011, more Indians could afford to take a European vacation. Data supported this inference: in 2007, the World Bank improved India's status from a low -income country to an average country. The demarcation line is around $ 1,000 per capita (based on gross national income), but it took almost two decades after the economic reforms to get there.
Quick advance until 2023. Gen Z, born between 1997 and 2012, entered the workforce. On the one hand, there was a shortage of jobs in the formal sector; On the other, several new gain opportunities have emerged. Consider the professions of the characters in Kho Gaye Hum Kahan—Put a comic strip, a personal fitness coach, an influencer, a photographer and a business consultant. More than half of these jobs were unknown a decade ago; Only one account as a salaried job.
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This reflects the development of two new ecosystems: the concert economy and the platform and the creation of online content. Peole in the two sectors count strongly on social networks to find work, announce talents and promote achievements. Neither of them offers guaranteed or regular remuneration, but the attraction of being his own boss, while shaping conversations and trends, is irresistible.
This may explain the rapid growth in the number of influencers (more than 4 million by the end of 2024) and concert workers (12.7 million in 2024-25). These concerts are not only for the urban elite: digital technology and internet penetration made them accessible to everyone. Everything you need to become an influencer is an smartphone and an idea: the growth of “influencers of the heart” proves the popularity of regional content.
A fun way to describe the changing employment landscape of India goes through the titles of the three films. Dil chahta hai – “The Heart wishes” – represented an era when young people aspired to a better life in newly open India. Znmd– “You will no longer have this life” – has accumulated a period of strong economic growth, when they appreciated prosperity. KGHK – Where did we get lost? '- Is the question to ask is that the Z generation is looking for a job that offers a goal as well as livelihoods.
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It is a bit of an excessive simplification, but the goal is to underline the urgent need to create jobs. The recent announcement of a $ 1 billion government fund to support creators is a timely idea, but it is too early to assess its impact. Meanwhile, it should not be forgotten that India has 377 million ZS genres, more than the population of the United States. And young people are only a demographic dividend when they are productive.
The author is an independent writer in economics and finance.
