Why is 2016 Suddenly Trending? Bollywood Actresses Are Also Obsessed, Find Out What It Is?

Barely two weeks into 2026, and people have suddenly gone back 10 years. A trend of memories from 2016 is going viral on social media. Users are reliving their past through old photos, videos, and filters.

A wave of old photos swept social media when 2016 suddenly started trending. Big Bollywood divas, along with the general public, jumped into this trend and started opening their old treasure chests. The slogan of this trend is, '2026 is the new 2016.' In this, people are sharing their 10-year-old pictures. They are presenting their avatars to the world, which were quite different from today's high-definition era.

Why did 2016 suddenly start trending?

Under this trend, users are pulling out pictures from their digital archives that remind them of the 'carefree' era of 2016. This includes blurry photos taken with older iPhone models, the popular 'dog filter' from Snapchat, and clips with quirky fashion senses. Many creators have compiled these pictures into short videos (carousel recaps), with 2010s songs playing in the background.

Bollywood Stars Also Became Addicted to It

Following Sonam Kapoor and Ananya Panday, Kareena Kapoor Khan, Janhvi Kapoor, and Khushi Kapoor have now joined this list. Kareena Kapoor Khan, participating in this trend, shared some very personal and glamorous photos from her pregnancy days. She described the year 2016 as her 'pregnancy year' when she was expecting her first son, Taimur. Kareena shared a photo of herself looking stunning in an animal print monokini.

In another photo, she is seen lifting dumbbells on the cover of Vogue India, wearing a white shirt and leather skirt. She captioned it, "I was three and a half months pregnant at this time." Kareena also shared a picture with Karan Johar and jokingly wrote that even Karan didn't know she was pregnant at that time.

Khushi and Janhvi's Fun

Khushi Kapoor also shared her 2016 pictures, calling herself 'cooler' compared to now. Her sister Janhvi also appeared in her pictures. However, Janhvi Kapoor, surprised by this trend, commented playfully, "Why is everyone doing this?" Earlier, Sonam Kapoor had also reminisced about the release of her superhit film 'Neerja' and the early days of her love with husband Anand Ahuja.

Ananya Panday Also Shared Old Photos

Actress Ananya Panday gave an emotional touch to this trend. She shared a lovely picture with Shah Rukh Khan's younger son, AbRam. She also revisited memories from her school days with her childhood friends Suhana Khan and Shanaya Kapoor.

What is this 2016 Trend?

In fact, this trend is encouraging people to go back 10 years and remember their old fashion, professional achievements, and the 'Snapchat filters' of that time. According to a BBC report, searches for '2016' on TikTok and Instagram saw a significant surge in the first week of the year. People are enjoying 'time travel' in the digital world through the songs and old memories of that era.

Overall, the beginning of 2026 has given people a beautiful excuse to connect with their past. This trend shows that no matter how much technology advances, the comfort of old memories always remains special.