Last Updated:January 21, 2026, 05:48 IST

Priyanka Chopra joins the viral 2016 trend, sharing rare throwback moments from her first Oscars, Obama dinner and career milestones.

Priyanka Chopra shares rare throwback moments from her milestone year, 2016.

Priyanka Chopra has perfectly tapped into the internet’s latest nostalgia wave by hopping on the viral 2016 trend, and fans believe she has won it outright. The trend, which encourages users to rewind to life a decade ago—before curated feeds, filters, and constant online pressure—celebrates a simpler, more carefree time marked by raw memories and unfiltered moments.

Joining the throwback frenzy, Priyanka took to her official Instagram handle to share a series of unseen and rare photographs from 2016, a year that proved to be a defining chapter in both her personal and professional life. Captioning the post, she wrote, “The one where everything happened all at once. 2016.”

The carousel offered a glimpse into several landmark moments that shaped her global journey, prompting fans to revisit the era when her international career truly began to take flight.

Oscars Debut, Padma Shri and Global Milestones

Among the standout highlights was Priyanka’s first-ever appearance at the Academy Awards—an iconic moment that announced her arrival on the world stage. The images also included glimpses from her Padma Shri honour, one of India’s highest civilian awards, recognising her contribution to the arts.

Another powerful throwback was a photograph from her dinner with former US President Barack Obama and former First Lady Michelle Obama. The moment symbolised her growing influence beyond cinema, reflecting how she had become a global figure bridging entertainment, culture, and diplomacy.

The post further showcased Priyanka’s professional highs from that year, with snapshots from her Hollywood projects such as Baywatch and Quantico, alongside stills from her Bollywood films Dil Dhadakne Do and Bajirao Mastani. Together, the images painted a picture of a year packed with milestones across industries and continents.

Personal Moments and Looking Ahead

Beyond career achievements, Priyanka also shared intimate glimpses from her personal life. From a vibrant Holi celebration to the moment she adopted a pup, the throwbacks reflected quieter joys amid a whirlwind year. One of the most emotional moments in the post was a picture with her late grandmother (Nani), whom she lost in 2016, adding a deeply personal layer to the nostalgic journey.

Fans flooded the comments section with admiration, calling the post inspiring and emotional, while many noted how 2016 marked the beginning of Priyanka’s global ascent.

On the work front, Priyanka Chopra is set to appear next in the R-rated pirate adventure The Bluff, where she plays the formidable Bloody Mary alongside Karl Urban. The film is scheduled to premiere on Prime Video on February 25.

She is also gearing up for a highly anticipated return to Indian cinema with SS Rajamouli’s ambitious, globe-spanning project Varanasi, which stars Mahesh Babu and Prithviraj Sukumaran in lead roles and is expected to be one of the biggest releases in the coming years.