Freelancing is witnessing a sharp rise among the younger generation in India, driven by their growing desire for flexibility, independence, and greater control over their career paths. According to the Indian Freelancers Association, by 2024, the country was home to nearly 15 million freelancers, second only to the United States.
Within the creative advertising industry, freelancers have emerged as a vital force powering innovation, agility, and growth. With their specialist skills and cost-effective models, they offer brands and agencies the flexibility to scale up or experiment quickly and efficiently.
From copywriting and campaign ideation to animation, video production, meme marketing, and regional adaptations, freelancers today contribute across a wide range of roles: graphic design, branding, packaging, direction, influencer scripting, social media creatives, UX/UI design, creation of microsites, landing pages, voiceovers, sound design, infographics, and pitch decks, making them an indispensable part of the modern advertising ecosystem.
Amrutha Anilkumar, an experienced art director with a background in architecture and food styling, recently took to LinkedIn and shared, “Freelancers are not free labor. I worked on a campaign for a renowned brand through Schbang in December 2024. It’s now July 2025, and I still haven’t been paid.”
Amrutha mentioned in the post that as per Schbang’s policy, freelancers are to be paid within 60 days of project completion, a deadline that had passed five months ago.
She further shared, “I have sent countless follow-ups, always professionally, patiently and politely. My emails were ignored, my calls went unanswered, and at one point, I was called ‘unprofessional’ just for asking for my rightful payment.”
Her post quickly gained traction, receiving widespread support from the creative community, with several users tagging senior leadership at Schbang to seek accountability.
As the post gained traction, Aayush Vyas, Senior Executive Vice President & Head of Business - South & Emerging Markets, Schbang, responded with a statement on his LinkedIn account addressing the issue. He clarified that Amrutha’s payment had not been cleared yet because the agency was still awaiting dues from the client, a situation that occasionally leads agencies to delay payments despite not having received their own.
Vyas further noted that the production team involved in the project were not directly part of Schbang, but the agency had assisted in connecting Amrutha with them. He also extended an invitation for Amrutha to reach out to him directly so that her pending dues could be resolved.
“This isn’t a post to win an argument,” Vyas concluded. “It’s to clarify facts and hold ground where needed, because professionalism must work both ways.”
Currently, both of these posts from LinkedIn have been deleted. And Amrutha made another post on LinkedIn, stating that after raising the issue publicly, senior leaders at Schbang intervened and resolved the matter. She also appreciated the support from the creative community and expects better systems and fairer treatment for freelancers in the industry.
Although Amrutha’s issue was resolved after she spoke out on LinkedIn and received support from senior creative professionals, not every freelancer has the privilege to take that route. Many fear jeopardising future work opportunities or damaging their reputation in the industry, which often keeps them silent, even when payments are delayed or denied.
It throws light on a deeper issue within the advertising industry: How are freelancers being treated? Is it time to establish clear legal protections?
Should industry bodies finally give freelancers a seat at the table, or is it time they built their own? The silence around these questions is no longer sustainable.
When we reached out to Amrutha to understand what she hopes to see change in the industry, she declined to comment, sharing that the entire experience had been emotionally overwhelming.
We also reached out to Harshil Karia, Founder, Schbang, to understand the situation. He told us that now the agency has a proper structured process with a transparent billables portal.
When asked whether freelancers are informed at the outset that their payment might be contingent on the agency first receiving funds from the client? Karia clarified that in the rare cases where freelancers are hired under a retainer, their payments are not tied to client billing. However, when freelancers are onboarded as a pass-through expense for the client, their payments are linked to when the client clears their dues. “We’re not in the business of financing projects,” he said, adding that this arrangement is communicated clearly from the beginning.
Karia explained that in cases where a dispute arises due to the quality of work delivered by a freelancer, a ‘make-good’ is typically expected. He added that if the amount in question is small, Schbang has, on occasion, paid freelancers even when the client hasn’t. However, when a freelancer charges a premium fee and fails to deliver the expected quality, the agency expects accountability.
“If a client disputes such a payment, we do ask for a response from the freelancer. Depending on its validity, we’ve taken up the issue with clients and, in some cases, successfully ensured the payment is released,” he said.
Freelancers Speak Out
As freelancers become an increasingly vital part of India’s advertising ecosystem, their journey is often fraught with professional and operational hurdles. Chief among these is the issue of delayed or inconsistent payments, which can severely disrupt cash flow and financial stability.
Their income is often unpredictable, tied to project availability and shifting client demands. To maintain a steady pipeline of work, freelancers must constantly network, self-promote, and adapt to rising competition, especially as more professionals enter the freelance space and clients seek highly specialised skill sets.
A freelancer, who worked actively in 2021 and spoke to us on the condition of anonymity, pointed out that there is no formal legal framework for freelancers in India. Most freelancers aren’t registered with any government body or association, which means there’s little scope for legal recourse in case of delayed payments.
According to the freelancer, the safest option is to work with companies that issue formal contracts, usually larger brands, which include purchase orders and documentation. Once these are processed in the company’s internal system, payments are tracked and become mandatory to clear, especially to avoid issues during audits. However, smaller agencies often don’t follow such structured practices.
Mariam Joseph, a freelancer, explains that, “Advance payments are rare, and even when they are offered, final settlements are frequently delayed. Many companies operate on credit cycles ranging from 30 to 90 days, leading to prolonged wait times for freelancers to receive full payments.”
She further shares that delayed payments are an almost universal struggle among freelancers. “There’s no real safety net, which leaves us extremely vulnerable,” she states, adding that “Some clients believe they can delay payments without consequence, assuming freelancers won’t raise their voice.”
Showing her support regarding the matter, Mariam says, “I’m glad more people are now speaking about this openly, it helps others be more cautious before accepting new work. As most freelancers work on a project-to-project or task-based model, delayed payments can severely disrupt their cash flow, making it difficult to even cover basic expenses.”
Puneet, a former creative director at Ogilvy, has been freelancing for the past two years, working across creative strategy, copywriting, social media scripts, and more. He adds that delayed payments have become a rite of passage in freelancing. While some clients are reliable, others vanish after the final deliverable. “Chasing payments is now part of the job. Even with written scopes and partial advances, there’s no guarantee. What’s most frustrating is how normalised this issue is, as if it’s just part of the deal, when it really shouldn’t be,” he elucidates.
Puneet says agencies often treat freelancers informally, bringing them in as quick fixes rather than true collaborators. “Some teams are respectful,” he notes, “but many expect us to plug gaps with little context, poor briefs, and barely any feedback or courtesy.”
He adds that contracts are more common now, but many don’t know how to read or negotiate them. “IP rights rarely come up unless it’s a big client. I’ve seen talented creatives get burned, simply because they didn’t know what to push back on. Awareness is growing, but often only after a bad experience,” he mentions.
Puneet believes that while the freelance economy is growing, the protections haven’t kept up. He feels that even a basic framework, a collective standard contract, dispute resolution mechanisms, or a client blacklist could make freelancing feel less isolating. “Right now, it often feels like we’re all fighting quiet battles on our own,” he says.
Conversations with freelancers reveal a clear gap between the growing freelance economy and the outdated systems meant to support it. For many, chasing payments has become a routine part of the job, and asking to be paid often feels like an additional task.
If India ranks among the top countries for freelancing, there’s an urgent need for a legal framework or governing body to step in and offer protection, structure, and accountability.
No Safety Net: A Legal View on Freelancing in India
In India, there’s no dedicated law for freelancers; they operate in a legally grey area, relying on basic contract law or informal agreements that offer limited protection. While some register under the MSME framework for better payment terms, enforcement is weak and often inaccessible.
In contrast, New York’s ‘Freelance Isn’t Free Act’ sets a strong precedent: it mandates written contracts for work over $800, requires payment within 30 days, and imposes penalties for delays. Freelancers can also file complaints with the city’s Department of Consumer and Worker Protection.
It’s the kind of legal clarity and accountability still missing in India’s growing freelance economy. Advocate Sumit Nagpal, a legal expert specialising in intellectual property, trademark law, brand protection, copyright, and media law, says there is no specific law for freelancers in India; it is treated as a basic contractual transaction between client and freelancer.
He explains that general business laws apply to freelance work, and timely communication from the client is key. “If a freelancer delivers the work and the client doesn’t raise objections within a reasonable time, typically 15 to 30 days, and certainly not beyond three months, the work is considered accepted,” he says.
“However, if the client raises concerns promptly, such as requesting changes within a day, it is treated as a valid objection to the quality. In the absence of timely objections, the freelancer has the right to recover pending payments,” he explains.
He adds that if a freelancer can prove their case and wins in court, they are entitled not just to the pending payment, but also to the legal costs incurred during the process. Courts typically award interest on the delayed amount, usually around 6–7% per annum, along with legal expenses. These are standard principles in recovery suits, and the final dues are fully enforceable through a court order.
Inside the Agency: Freelancer Disconnect
While agencies are often targeted for delayed payments, it’s not completely their fault. The ad agencies frequently delay payments due to a mix of financial and administrative hurdles. Cash flow issues are a major factor; agencies typically wait to receive payments from clients before paying freelancers. Internally, slow approval chains and complex processes further drag timelines, especially when dealing with high volumes of freelance work.
Ambiguous contracts or unclear invoices can also confuse. Agencies tend to prioritise payments to large vendors with stricter terms, while freelancers, who often lack bargaining power, get pushed down the queue. Sometimes, payment is withheld due to client disputes over project outcomes.
Famous Innovations, an independent creative agency that frequently collaborates with freelancers on everything from memes and podcasts to product shoots, acknowledges that delays in payments are common.
Mansi Shah, Business Head – Mumbai, Famous Innovations, explains, “Payment delays happen even between agencies and clients, so it naturally extends to freelancers. There’s a long-standing culture of exploiting service providers with the threat of replacement: ‘If you don’t comply, we’ll find someone else.’ Unfortunately, that mindset often trickles down. If a freelancer asks for an advance or pushes for timely payment, many agencies simply switch to someone more willing to wait.”
Shah adds that the oversupply of freelancers gives agencies more leverage, often leaving freelancers at a disadvantage. This mindset is short-sighted. She further mentions that to get the best from niche freelancers, agencies must ensure fair timelines, clear communication, and timely payments. She adds that fixed payment timelines, and clarity upfront can go a long way to solve this problem.
Girish Narayandass, Co-founder, Bare Bones Collective, an independent ad agency, says they regularly collaborate with freelancers for writing and art direction. He emphasises that the agency follows a formal onboarding process, where all key terms such as payment and credits are clearly defined and mutually agreed upon. “We believe complete transparency around compensation and credit is essential right from the start,” he adds.
Narayandass further describes that there should be clear, written communication from both sides outlining all project terms. He believes that rather than the delay itself, it’s the lack of communication and acknowledgement that causes stress and frustration.
Amer Jaleel, advertising industry veteran and Founder, Curativity, a marketing services platform focused on connecting brands with independent talent, says the agency model is under extreme pressure, both in traditional and digital setups. At Curativity, they’ve put a Milestone Delivery & Compensation Workflow in place where payments and deliverables are locked together. “We don’t take a rupee unless our partners are paid their share. Fairness isn’t optional, it’s the rule,” he states.
He adds that it’s no secret that legacy agencies rely on external talent to bridge both skill and bandwidth gaps. Jaleel points out that a bigger concern for the industry is the growing trend of clients working directly with freelancers. While clients often find the process unstructured, freelancers struggle without the support, guidance, and protection that a more organised setup can provide.
Garima Vohra, COO, Lucifer Circus, also highlights, “In advertising, creativity pays, but only when it’s backed by paperwork. In India’s ad industry, contracts, milestone-based payments, penalty clauses for delays, and even watermarked deliveries aren’t just formalities—they act as your payment insurance. If you value your craft, protect it. It’s not just smart business—it’s enforceable.”
While organisations like the Asian Federation of Advertising Associations (AFAA) exist to safeguard the interests of agencies and uphold industry standards, freelancers currently fall outside their scope and lack formal representation.
This raises the need for freelancers to consider forming their association bodies that can voice their concerns, advocate for fair practices, and offer collective support when dealing with clients, contracts, and payment disputes.
Ramesh Narayan, Founder, Canco Advertising and a veteran industry leader with key roles in the Asian Federation of Advertising Associations (AFAA) and the International Advertising Association (IAA), says freelancers have always been an integral part of the advertising ecosystem, consistently adding value.
“If they feel the need, it would be in their best interest to unite and form an association that represents their collective voice. Just as agencies have historically come together to negotiate with publishers, broadcasters, and clients, freelancers, too, can benefit from a unified front to advocate for their rights and interests,” underscores Narayan.
As India’s freelance economy grows, it stands at a crossroads brimming with creativity but held back by outdated systems and a lack of protection. If freelancers are powering modern advertising, they deserve more than praise; they deserve timely pay, respect, and clear rights. Whether through legal reform, collective bodies, or greater accountability, one thing is clear: the silence can’t continue. It’s time to rewrite the contract, not just on paper, but in practice.
