What is the story about?
When Thapliyal Ji switches on the Blinkit app each morning in Uttarakhand, he does not know what the day will bring. Some days promise steady orders and decent
pay. Others stretch endlessly, with long gaps between deliveries and earnings that barely add up. In September, one such day found him working for nearly 15 hours, delivering 28 orders and earning Rs 763. Months later, that quiet honesty, captured in a short video, has made him the face of a larger conversation about gig work in India. The video, recorded casually and without complaint, has since gone viral. What caught people’s attention was not just the number of orders, but the math behind them.
A long day, a small payout
In the now-viral reel, Thapliyal shared screenshots from the Blinkit app to show exactly how much he earned. His final delivery of the day brought in Rs 15.83. Spread across 15 hours, his average earning worked out to about Rs 52 an hour.The figures sparked disbelief and anger online. Several users called it a stark example of how gig workers are paid for speed, availability and effort, but not always for time. Others pointed out that while the delivery promise may be “in the blink of an eye”, the human cost behind it remains largely invisible.
Also Read: Hustle Files: ‘Ordered Condoms & Kinder Joy At 1:30 AM’ - A Day Into The Lives of Zepto Riders of Rohini
Social media pushes back
As the video gained traction, Instagram users flooded the comments section, tagging Blinkit and demanding better pay for delivery executives. “Who’s going to take care of your employees who deliver the goods in the blink of an eye?” one user asked, calling for fairer treatment.Not everyone agreed on where the blame lay. Some users urged customers to tip delivery partners more generously, while others argued that the issue ran deeper. “Please don’t blame Blinkit. This business model itself is flawed,” one comment read, reflecting a broader critique of quick-commerce economics.
Not every day is the same
Following the attention, Thapliyal shared more videos to add context to his experience. In one reel recorded in October, he showed a much better day, earning Rs 1,202 after completing 32 deliveries in 11 hours.Also Read: Hustle Files: Hyderabad Rider Exposes the ‘Ugly’ Reality of Shipping Doorstep Deliveries
He explained that earnings fluctuate sharply depending on demand. “When there are orders available on Blinkit, it’s easy to earn more,” he said. On order-heavy days, he claimed, it is possible to make between Rs 1,600 and Rs 2,000. On quieter days, however, crossing even Rs 1,000 can be a struggle.
A window into the gig economy
Thapliyal’s videos have turned a routine workday into a case study of India’s gig economy. They show neither outrage nor glamour, just numbers, hours and uncertainty. For many viewers, that transparency is what made the story resonate.In the rush for faster deliveries and cheaper convenience, his hustle offers a reminder that behind every app notification is someone doing the math, one order at a time.
