‘Then and now’ pics trending

Nostalgia sweeps social media as people post their current photos with 10-year-old ones

The Internet is buzzing with yet another challenge, and it’s called the #10yearchallenge. It requires you to post two photos of yourself side by side, taken 10 years apart. Actors Reese Witherspoon, Jessica Biel and Gabrielle Union, television host Trevor Noah, TV personality and business tycoon Tyra Banks are among the many taking part in the challenge. Closer home, actor-singer Shruti Haasan has just posted her then-and-now pictures.

The challenge brings a wave of nostalgia, with proof of how much one has advanced, says Bengalurean fashion designer Shiny Alexxander. “We all do ‘before and after’ pictures but this is a big step back in time. I had clicked an old photo when I just started my store. One would not click too many photos back then; there had to be a reason to click one,” she says.

Jessica Biel, actor in American TV series The Sinner

Those were also days when cameras didn’t have filters to prettify pictures. “Our photos were so true to what we really looked like back then,” she observes. Subin Mathews, lead guitarist with the band Needle in a Playstack, found the challenge fun. “I hadn’t visited my photographs from ten years ago in a long time. The challenge reminded me of how carefree and reckless I was, and how I’ve grown,” he says.

Shruti Haasan in 2009(left)and in 2019(right)

Urmila Chanam, menstrual hygiene and women’s rights activist, found an old photo for the challenge. “I see about 500 of my friends from across the globe, sharing their pictures and stories. It is encouraging to see how they have all come to terms with the changes in their lives,” she says. Her pictures took her back to the difficult times she has lived through. “The post also reminds me to work on myself and become fitter,” she says.

Aging gracefully and looking mature is being celebrated through the challenge, feels Spoorthi Seethamma Muruvanda, marathoner and senior analyst with an MNC. “Most of us look much better now, despite being older. People are more conscious about eating right and are focused on fitness, which is a great step ahead,” she says. She describes the challenge as “the best positive kick for the year”.

For many like Sufi folk artiste, singer and songwriter Aabha Hanjura, this is a new experience. “I am not the type who takes part in hashtag challenges but this was fun,” she says. She found the #Kikichallenge, requiring participants to dance riskily alongside a moving car, annoying. “But this challenge was a positive reminder of the person I am. I hope the challenge returns in 20 years,” she says.

What is the 10-year challenge?
It is a rage on the Internet. It requires you to post a picture from 10 years ago alongside a picture from the present. Many hashtags are promoting the posts. They include #HowHardDidAgingHitYou and #GlowUp, but the most trending one is #10yearchallenge. The challenge has gone viral on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook.

Aquaman Twitter post

Catty takes
Many like actor-standup comedian Amy Schumer, disc jockey Diplo and comedian-actor Chelsea Handler, have posted their pictures with other people’s pictures to tickle the funny bone.

Marketing gimmick
The challenge is being used by many as memes. The official Aquaman movie Twitter page is using it to promote the film, running in cinemas now. And let’s share our pics too.