“People work late but…”: American vlogger shares video of Indian woman working irregular hours, netizens comment on it

India’s work-life balance – or lack thereof – is under the spotlight again after an American vlogger shared a video of a young woman working late into the night. The clip is entitled “Late night work in India” The news went viral on Instagram, sparking a larger conversation about burnout and long working hours in the country.

In the video, Jay sees a woman sitting outside with her laptop and approaches her. “Excuse me, ma’am. I’m curious. Are you working now?” he asks. The woman smiles and answers: Yes. When Jay asks if he can talk to her for a bit, she nods and says, “You can ask.”

She introduced herself as Princy and explained that she worked for a pharmaceutical company. Jay tells her: “You don’t have to tell me about the company, but what kind of work do you do?” “I work for a pharmaceutical company,” she repeats.

“I see a lot of people working hard here, which is new to me,” says Jay, who was surprised to see someone working at night in a public place. Princi smiles and replies, “You’re working too now.” Jay laughs and says, “It’s not really a job. It’s just a hobby. And I hope one day it’ll be over.”

This short, friendly exchange quickly went viral and sparked thousands of reactions.

Many people praised Princi for her positive attitude and dedication. One user wrote: “You are a nice person and can light up anyone’s mood with your smile.”

However, others saw the video as a reflection of India’s demanding corporate culture and the normalization of late-night work. “Her clients are US-based, which is why her shift caters to US time zones – it’s not about hard work, just timing,” one person commented.

Another added: “We don’t get paid by the hour in India, that’s the sad part. People work late but don’t get overtime.”

Some users argued that although remote work allows for flexibility, it also blurs the line between professional and personal time. “9pm is not too late in Indian cities, but she still has to think about work-life balance,” said one viewer.