Cricket remained central to India’s cultural identity on Instagram. The Champions Trophy victory triggered widespread celebration across the platform, while RCB’s long-running “Ee Sala Cup Namdu” chant turned into a meme as fans celebrated the long-awaited win. Virat Kohli’s retirement from Test cricket became one of the most emotional conversation drivers of the year, alongside the Indian women’s cricket team’s World Cup triumph.
Indian culture goes global — and global culture comes to IndiaAccording to Instagram, 2025 was marked by a surge in cultural exchange. Indian artists and celebrities took global stages, including Hanumankind at Coachella and appearances by Shah Rukh Khan, Kiara Advani and Diljit Dosanjh at the Met Gala. Luxury brands embraced the Kolhapuri chappal, and A.R. Rahman’s music continued to influence international fashion runways.
At the same time, global fandoms gathered momentum in India, driven by events such as Ed Sheeran’s India tour, the Nicki Minaj pose trend, Taylor Swift’s engagement, and Cristiano Ronaldo’s engagement announcement.
Nostalgia and aesthetics drive engagementNostalgia remained a key part of Instagram culture, with communities continuing to revisit movies such as Wake Up Sid, characters like Bunny from Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewani, and music from Rockstar. The lo-fi digi-cam aesthetic grew across reels and carousels, especially among Gen Z and young adults.
People and moments that went viralA number of individuals went viral this year, including the girl who resembled Mona Lisa at the Mahakumbh, Ayush who mispronounced “croissant” as “Prashant”, and Sonali, the Kolhapur mehendi artist who recreated Rihanna’s wedding makeup. Sudhanshu Shukla became the first Indian in 40 years to visit the ISS, generating massive engagement.
Comedian Samay Raina remained one of the most discussed personalities on the platform, driven by conversations around India’s Got Latent.
Micro-moments that kept India scrollingInstagram says everyday viral moments contributed significantly to engagement. These included the ‘langdi’ hook step by actor Veer Pahariya, debates around the 90-hour work week, highlights from Shark Tank India Season 4, a viral clip from Coldplay’s concert in India, ‘fake wedding’ party trends, Labubus fascination, the glowing turmeric trend, actor Parineeti Chopra’s “meri body main sensations” clip, Vishal Mega Mart memes, and the rise of ultra-wide 5120×1080 reels.
| Category | Highlights from 2025 |
|---|---|
| Cricket Moments | Champions Trophy win, RCB meme takeover, Kohli Test retirement, Women’s World Cup win |
| Cultural Crossover | Hanumankind at Coachella, SRK–Kiara–Diljit at Met Gala, Kolhapuri chappals in luxury fashion, A.R. Rahman on global runways |
| Global Fandoms | Ed Sheeran India tour, Nicki Minaj pose, Taylor Swift engagement, Cristiano Ronaldo engagement |
| Nostalgia Trends | Wake Up Sid, YJHD’s Bunny, Rockstar songs, lo-fi digi-cam aesthetic |
| Viral Personalities | Mona Lisa girl, “Prashant” boy Ayush, Sonali the mehendi artist, Sudhanshu Shukla’s ISS trip, Samay Raina |
| Micro-Moments | Langdi step, 90-hour work week debate, Shark Tank 4 clips, Coldplay viral moment, fake wedding parties, Labubus, turmeric trend, Vishal Mega Mart meme, ultrawide reels |
