Dia Mirza taps into the viral “This Was 2016” trend, reigniting ‘Rehna Hai Tere Dil Mein’ nostalgia with R Madhavan ahead of its 25-year milestone

Dia Mirza recently took her fans a trip down memory lane through her latest Instagram post, perfectly capturing the essence of her magical debut film. Hopping on the viral “This Was 2016” trend, she shared a delightful carousel of behind-the-scenes snaps and photoshoot moments with her ‘Rehna Hai Tere Dil Mein’ co-star R Madhavan.

The post comes at a poignant time, as the beloved romantic drama will celebrate its 25th anniversary on October 19, 2026.

Trip down memory lane

Dia’s post feels like a warm embrace for millennials who grew up with the film’s mushy romance and picturesque visuals to the evergreen songs. From candid BTS shots of the duo laughing on set to polished magazine clicks, every image radiates joy and camaraderie. In her caption, Dia wrote: “This was 2016 On 19th October 2026 it will be 25 years.

A gift that keeps on giving. Name the film Oh Maddy Maddy look what showed up?” The playful nod to Madhavan, affectionately called Maddy by admirers, sparked an instant flood of heart-eyes and love emojis in the comments. Nostalgia hit hard, with users reminiscing about the film’s soulful songs like 'Zara-Zara,' every romantic movie buff’s favourite-and its heartfelt storyline that has endured beyond its initial box office struggles.

Fans reacted to the post supportingly, commenting remark such as "Maddy Reena forever" another one saying "My first and forever favorite movie... Rehna hai tere dil mein", "Feels like yesterday but also a lifetime ago. Preserved memories are the best time travelling machine that take you back in an instant. Now I can’t get the title song out of my head!", said another fan.

The film and plot

‘Rehna Hai Tere Dil Mein’, a Hindi remake of the 2001 Tamil hit Minnale starred a fresh-faced Dia Mirza opposite R Madhavan. Released in 2001-the movie didn’t light up theaters right away but grew into a cult favorite over the years, thanks to its timeless music and emotional depth, this movie created a separate fan-base.