From Alia Bhatt to Ananya Panday: Celebrities join ‘2026 Is the New 2016’ trend

A wave of nostalgia has swept across social media in early 2026, as influencers and celebrities take trips down memory lane by reminiscing about life in 2016 via the recent viral trend dubbed as ‘2026 is the new 2016.’

The trend basically is sharing old photos, often featuring then-popular filters like Snapchat's dog ears or flower crowns, grainy selfies and glimpses of life from ten years prior.

Back in 2016, posting on social media was more carefree and unedited. The posts themselves? Casual and fun. Think blurry selfies, spontaneous group shots, and lots of people playing with Snapchat's silly face filters like dog ears and flower crowns. Everything felt less curated and more in-the-moment. The playful energy is exactly what makes those old photos feel so comforting and distant at the same time now.

Fast forward to 2026, social media today is sleeker and more intentional. Short videos zip by in endless feeds; everything is optimized for quick engagement, and that relentless push for "authentic" yet always perfectly lit content. It makes those loose, unfiltered moments of 2016 feel like a breath of fresh air from a time when posting was just fun, not a performance.

The trend gained momentum on Instagram, with people looking back at fashion choices and simpler times in today’s fast paced, digital-first world. Bollywood figures and influencers have been at the forefront, posting images that highlight career milestones, personal moments, and the aesthetic of the mid-2010s.

Alia Bhatt shared a series of throwbacks featuring co-stars like Shah Rukh Khan, Sidharth Malhotra, Parineeti Chopra, and Varun Dhawan. 

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A post shared by Alia Bhatt ? (@aliaabhatt)

Ananya Panday joined posting mirror selfies with Snapchat filters and writing: "2016 was really it man."

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A post shared by Ananya ? (@ananyapanday)

Other participants include Kareena Kapoor Khan, who shared pregnancy photos from her "bump year." Sonam Kapoor, Khushi Kapoor, and even international names like Kylie Jenner have contributed, expanding the trend beyond India. 

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A post shared by Kareena Kapoor Khan (@kareenakapoorkhan)

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A post shared by Sonam A Kapoor (@sonamkapoor)

https://www.instagram.com/p/DTjAaYwEo3n/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==

Social Media influencers are not far behind on this trend. Many are posting throwback photos from 2016.

Avneet Kaur

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A post shared by Avneet Kaur (@avneetkaur_13)

Kusha Kapila 

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A post shared by Kusha Kapila (@kushakapila)

Brands like myntra have also joined in by posting what was in demand in 2016. 

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A post shared by MYNTRA (@myntra)

With more and more people participating in this trend, it is almost a light-hearted way of reflecting how a decade can feel both far away and close at the same time in this new age of social media. While 2016 throwbacks continue to flood feeds, the internet has momentarily paused to remember moments that have shaped today’s culture a decade ago.