As 2025 concludes, a look back at the year the internet created pop culture. Viral moments include Akshaye Khanna’s ‘FA9LA’ dance, SRK’s Met Gala debut, RCB’s first IPL win, Messi’s India tour, and Taylor Swift’s engagement.
As 2025 is about to pack its bags and close its curtain, one thing is clear: this was the year the internet truly lost its chill. Because honestly, if you close your eyes and think about this year, what comes rushing back aren’t just calendars or milestones; it’s the moments that undoubtedly made you laugh, cry, and more. A dance step. A sports win. A fashion look. A concert clip you didn’t ask for but somehow watched 17 times.
2025 was the year when the internet didn’t just react to pop culture; it created it. This was the year when cinema became memes overnight, sports victories felt personal, and one viral clip could rewrite someone’s entire public image. It was a package of emotional, hilarious, and impossible-to-look-away moments.
The Most Viral Moments of 2025
So, before we officially move on, here’s a look at the most viral moments of 2025 that truly broke the internet.
Akshaye Khanna’s ‘FA9LA’ hookstep in Dhurandhar
No one saw this coming, and that’s exactly why it worked. In the very recently released high-octane spy thriller ‘Dhurandhar,’ Akshaye Khanna didn’t just play the antagonist; he walked straight into meme immortality. His character Rehman Dakait’s entry to the track ‘FA9LA’ by Flipperachi became an overnight obsession. What really broke the internet was Khanna’s effortless swagger. An actor, calm, composed, and completely unbothered, dancing like he owned the frame. Reels flooded Instagram, from college kids to fitness influencers, all trying to match that cool confidence. For once, the internet agreed, this wasn’t cringe. This was iconic.
View this post on Instagram A post shared by Ranveer Singh (@ranveersingh)
Shah Rukh Khan finally walks the Met Gala
Fans had imagined it for years. In May 2025, it finally happened. Shah Rukh Khan made his Met Gala debut, and true to form, he didn’t just attend; he absolutely owned it. Dressed in a custom Sabyasachi ensemble, complete with a Tasmanian wool coat and a Bengal Tiger Head cane, SRK turned the Met steps, owning the moment. When he struck his signature open-arms pose, social media went wild, with fashion and fan pages flooding the internet with pictures of “King Khan.”
View this post on Instagram A post shared by Shah Rukh Khan (@iamsrk)
Messi’s GOAT India Tour
Late in the year, football fans were handed what many thought was impossible. Lionel Messi landed in India for the GOAT India Tour 2025, marking his second visit after 2011. The multi-city tour, spanning Kolkata, Hyderabad, Mumbai, and Delhi, became one of the most talked-about events of the year. Yes, there was chaos in Kolkata. Yes, fans were frustrated. But when Messi made his later stops at other locations, joined by Luis Suarez and Rodrigo De Paul, hosting clinics and meeting fans, it still sent the internet into a complete meltdown. For Indian football fans, it felt surreal: the GOAT, finally here.
View this post on Instagram A post shared by Leo Messi (@leomessi)
“Ee sala cup namdu” finally comes true
Eighteen years. That’s how long RCB fans waited. And in 2025, heartbreak finally made way for history. Royal Challengers Bengaluru lifted their first-ever IPL trophy, turning years of memes, tears, and hope into a night of celebration. Virat Kohli, the face of the franchise since 2008, broke down on the field, a moment that had fans crying right along with him. The chant that once invited jokes finally became reality. The internet didn’t just celebrate, it healed.
View this post on Instagram A post shared by IPL (@iplt20)
Zohran Mamdani’s Dhoom Machale victory exit
Politics doesn’t usually go viral for happy reasons, but this moment was different. When Zohran Mamdani became the first Indian-American mayor of New York City, the win was historic. But what truly exploded the internet was his exit. As ‘Dhoom Machale’ played and Mamdani walked off stage, that was when “Bollywood met politics” in the most unexpected way. Memes followed, edits exploded, and one thing was clear: representation had rhythm.
“Turn this into Ghibli art”
At some point in 2025, everyone lived in a Studio Ghibli universe. The AI-powered trend that converted photos into dreamy, soft illustrations took over timelines. From selfies to pets to weddings, everything got the Ghibli touch. Of course, debates followed. Artists questioned ethics, originality, and creativity. But for weeks, the internet was united by one simple request: “Can you make this Ghibli?”
Main character? No. He’s the whole storyline Experience through New India in Studio Ghibli strokes.#StudioGhibli#PMModiInGhibli pic.twitter.com/bGToOJMsWU — MyGovIndia (@mygovindia) March 28, 2025
The Coldplay kiss cam controversy
What started as a sweet concert moment quickly turned into an internet explosion. An alleged couple caught on Coldplay’s kiss cam suddenly pulled away as Chris Martin joked about an “affair”. Internet detectives got to work, identifying the pair as married senior executives from a New York data firm. The fallout was relentless: memes, outrage, and think pieces.
View this post on Instagram A post shared by Coldplay (@coldplay)
Taylor Swift’s engagement breaks the internet
Swifties had been waiting, and when the news finally dropped, there was no surviving the wave. Taylor Swift’s engagement announcement sent social media into overdrive. Fans analyzed rings, outfits, captions, and timelines. Brands jumped in, memes flooded feeds, and timelines turned pink and sparkly. The news felt personal to millions of her fans.
More than anything, 2025 proved one thing: all it takes is one clip. A dance move, a hug, a pose, a song choice. As we log off 2025, one thing’s certain: the internet didn’t just watch the year go by, it made it a memorable one.
(ANI)
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Asianet Newsable English staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)