Urban Company’s New Film Breaks Job Bias Barriers

Urban Company’s Latest Film: Challenging India’s Bias Against Blue-Collar Workers

Urban Company, a leader in India’s home services sector, has launched a powerful new film that asks a simple but important question: Why do we value some jobs—and the people who do them—more than others? The film, part of the brand’s ongoing “Dignity of Labour” series, shines a spotlight on the hidden biases many Indians hold against blue-collar workers, especially those who migrate from small towns to big cities in search of better opportunities.

The Story: Two Journeys, One Dream

The film, created by Fundamental, uses realism to quietly but firmly challenge how society views different kinds of work. It draws a clear contrast between the way people celebrate a white-collar professional’s move to a city and the way they often look down on a blue-collar worker—like an AC repair technician—making the same journey. Both are migrants, both are chasing a better life, but only one is seen as “aspirational”.

Neeraj Kanitkar, co-founder of Fundamental, explains, “Are some dreams, struggles and journeys worthier than others? Different, sure. But there’s an incredible kinship in the shared experience of ‘no matter where you are today, you’re trying to get to a better tomorrow.’ It perhaps binds us all. That we don’t always see that the engineer with an MBA is on the same journey and sharing the same pain, grit and joy as the AC repair technician is the blindspot that this story aims to shine a light on”.

Authenticity at Its Core

To make the story as real as possible, the creators worked with a dialect consultant, Ravi Pandey, to ensure the AC technician’s language felt authentic. They explored words from regional languages like Maithili, Bhojpuri, and Magahi, finally choosing “bohaar,” which means swept or cleaned. The casting, led by Kavish Sinha, focused on finding actors who not only fit the role but also brought genuine backgrounds to their performances. The result is a film that feels honest and relatable, with every detail carefully chosen for authenticity1.

Director Shachi Malhotra and the team made sure the camera simply followed the actors, letting their natural performances bring the message to life. This approach helps viewers see the technician not just as a worker, but as a person with hopes, dreams, and a story worth telling.

A Brand With a Purpose

Urban Company’s commitment to dignity and equality for all professionals is at the heart of this campaign. Ambalika Sen, managing partner at Fundamental, says, “Urban Company’s Dignity of Labour has been the prestige project driving us for the past couple of months. Opportunities like these find you when values align... Especially on a brand that champions service excellence with equal commitment to human dignity and equality for all professionals across the workforce”.

For Urban Company, this film is not just another ad. It’s a statement about the kind of society we want to build—one where every worker, regardless of the uniform they wear, is treated with respect and given equal opportunity.

Breaking the Bias: Why It Matters

In India, millions of people migrate from villages and small towns to cities every year, hoping for a better life. While white-collar professionals are often celebrated for their ambition, blue-collar workers are too often overlooked or even judged for their choices. This film asks viewers to question these unconscious hierarchies and see the shared grit, pride, and aspiration that unite us all1.

Tarun Menon, Senior Director of Marketing at Urban Company, sums it up: “With each instalment in this series, our intent has been to reflect on the unconscious biases that influence the service economy. In this fourth film, we explore the unconscious hierarchies that place one migrant’s ‘progress’ above another’s. Our platform exists to elevate every professional on equal footing, and this story is an invitation for viewers to recognise the shared grit, pride, and aspiration that unite us all, regardless of the uniform we wear”.

Moving Forward

Urban Company’s latest film is a timely reminder that every job—and every worker—deserves dignity. By challenging old stereotypes and celebrating the journeys of blue-collar professionals, the brand is helping to build a more inclusive and respectful society.