ABSTRACT
This is the story of young workers’ struggle for a voice in shaping their future in India’s information and communication technology (ICT) industry. It is a dramatic story with all the ingredients of a Bollywood movie, minus the romantic song and dance routines. However, instead of the usual happy ending, it is the story of a love affair that soured. As it continues to unfold in India, the seeds of a sequel are taking shape in another location. The title of the story, Free Birds, was a phrase used in 2011 by one of the primary social actors, a corporate manager, to describe the kind of worker sought after by the industry. In 2014, the crueler version of this double (or triple) entendre becomes evident as the big-name actors leave the scene abruptly, leaving the rest of the crew in turmoil.
