Ananya Panday recently jumped onto the ‘2026 is the new 2016’ trend, where celebrities and fans alike have been revisiting their 2016 memories on Instagram. The actor shared a carousel of throwback pictures that perfectly captured her growing-up years and showed just how much she has evolved over time. From adorable childhood moments to teenage milestones, the post was a delightful walk down memory lane.
Ananya jumps on ‘2026 is the new 2016’ trend
One of the most heart-melting pictures from the lot featured a young Ananya posing with Shah Rukh Khan’s youngest son, Abram Khan. The picture instantly stood out and was widely considered the cutest on the carousel. Another set of photos took fans back to her school days, where Ananya could be seen proudly holding performance certificates, reminding everyone that her journey began long before the arc lights found her.
True to the times, the carousel also included pictures with Snapchat animal filters, which were all the rage back then and added a heavy dose of nostalgia. Ananya also shared a glimpse of her 18th birthday celebrations, which she marked in true Bollywood style with a clapboard that symbolically announced her entry into adulthood. Family moments featured strongly too, including a sweet picture of her tying a rakhi to her cousin and Saiyaara star Ahaan Panday. Another throwback that caught attention was a fun snap of Ananya and Suhana Khan pouting at the camera with exaggerated ears and nose filters.
Reactions from Suhana and Shanaya
The post quickly drew reactions from friends, family, and fans. Ananya’s sister expressed surprise that she even knew about the trend. Shanaya Kapoor dropped a comment full of sibling energy, writing, “That’s my orange dress.” A fan summed up the mood perfectly by saying, “This Snapchat filter got me, pure nostalgia.” Suhana Khan chimed in as well, calling the “orange bikini iconic,” and added another comment gushing over “And Bram cutie pie.”
Anannya Panday’s acting journey so far
Ananya Panday’s Bollywood journey has been marked by a mix of commercial hits, diverse roles, and consistent visibility in the industry since her debut. She began her career in 2019 with Student of the Year 2, for which she earned the Filmfare Award for Best Female Debut, and has since appeared in films such as Pati Patni Aur Woh, Khaali Peeli, Gehraiyaan, Liger, Dream Girl 2, Kho Gaye Hum Kahan, and CTRL, among others bringing her total film count close to around ten theatrical and digital projects so far. Her performance in Kho Gaye Hum Kahan won her the Filmfare OTT Award for Best Actress (Critics).
Her most recent release is Tu Meri Main Tera Main Tera Tu Meri, which hit theatres in February 2026 opposite Kartik Aaryan. Looking ahead, she has more projects lined up, including the romantic drama Chand Mera Dil opposite Lakshya Lalwani and seasons of her popular web series Call Me Bae 2, highlighting her continued presence in both films and digital content.