India’s Instagram Trends in 2025: Cricket, Culture, and Viral Moments That Kept Users Engaged

Instagram’s 2025 Year-in-Review for India highlights how the country’s pop culture, global influence, and everyday moments shaped online conversations throughout the year. From cricketing triumphs and cultural exports to nostalgia-driven aesthetics and viral micro-moments, Indian users were kept scrolling and sharing a diverse range of content across the platform.​

Cricket remained a dominant theme, with major events like India’s Champions Trophy win and the Indian women’s team’s World Cup victory sparking waves of patriotic celebration. Viral memes, such as RCB’s “Ee Sala Cup Namdu” chant and Virat Kohli’s emotional Test retirement, became central talking points, reflecting the sport’s continued hold on the national imagination.​

The year also saw Indian culture gain global recognition, with Hanumankind performing at Coachella, Shah Rukh Khan and Diljit Dosanjh attending the Met Gala, and Indian fashion elements like Kolhapuri chappals and A.R. Rahman's music making appearances on international runways. At the same time, Indian audiences actively engaged with global trends, from Ed Sheeran’s India tour to viral moments involving Taylor Swift and Cristiano Ronaldo.​

Nostalgia played a big role, with fandoms for older movies and songs, such as “Wake Up Sid” and “Rockstar, ”continuing to thrive. The lo-fi digicam aesthetic became a staple for Instagram carousels and reels, embraced by both Gen Z and young adults.​

Individuals also captured public attention, including the girl who resembled Mona Lisa at the Mahakumbh, Ayush’s mispronunciation of “croissant,” and mehendi artist Sonali’s recreation of Rihanna’s wedding look. Sudhanshu Shukla, the first Indian in 40 years to travel to the International Space Station, and comedian Samay Raina also became frequent subjects of discussion.​

Every day, viral trends, from the “langdi” hook step to debates about the 90-hour work week and snippets from Shark Tank India 4, kept feeds buzzing. Other highlights included the Coldplay concert moment, “fake wedding” parties, the Labubu craze, glowing turmeric, and the popularity of ultra-wide thin reels.​

Instagram’s 2025 review underscores the blend of global influence, cultural pride, and spontaneous moments that defined the year for Indian users, reflecting the platform’s role as a mirror to the country’s evolving digital culture.

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