Here’s why Gen Z is obsessed with Jackie Shroff, Zeenat Aman, and Neena Gupta’s Instagram

“I just wanted to tell you that main hoon (I’m around),” Jackie Shroff explained Ananya Panday when she asked him why he had DM-ed her ‘Bhidu’ a few days ago, but didn’t respond when she pinged back with ‘Yes, Sir?’.

I think Shroff's response is a classic example why yesteryear actors became so popular on social media in the last three years. From moving, throwback tales and poems by Saira Banu, Dharmendra, and Neetu Singh to stylish outfits paired with profound life lessons by Zeenat Aman and Neena Gupta, all had social media folks super excited. Not just stars but character artists like Dalip Tahil, who created videos of mocking Gen Zs, and Ashish Vidyarthi who creates lively food and travel videos, won hearts, too.

I thought to myself, "Was there anything more to this rising popularity of old actors on social media or is it just another fad?" I delved further to understand this better.

 

Pause to rewind

It's not a coincidence that the longstanding need for nostalgia took a radical turn during the first phase of the pandemic. When the rat race paused, we realised we'd been too busy making memories to share before letting them sip in us first. We'd been drained by dissecting the world around us. We needed a juice and media had one: memories without any ties, think songs, reels, movie lines, sports clips, and more. This, to a large extent, helped us cope after the pandemic. We entered an era where longing for the past became the new life hack. 

Why so serious?

Influencers on social media usually sell the idea of fame, money, quirk, or talent, while old thespians simply share, without any agendas. Jackie Shroff is no chef and that’s what eases us about his cooking ‘skills’. Zeenat Aman doesn't claim to be an animal rights advocate, but her pet pictures take us back to our first encounters with those furry buddies. Saira Banu isn’t a love guru, yet her humble words for Dilip Kumar remind us love is more about whispers than grand gestures. And we can’t help but marvel at the honesty of Neetu Singh’s Insta bio that says: Fightingfyt (fighting for your time).

These actors show us it's okay to be solemn, thoughtful, or even a bit silly. They remind the millennials and Gen Z that all the work we do should aim at having a bit of fun and not taking yourself too seriously. 

Did I say Gen Z too? Yes. Even Gen Z is drawn to these seasoned artists on social media. I was surprised to see how these youngsters, who might not know much about these old-timers, are rushing to their social media accounts. At first, I was moved to see Gen Z’s zest to connect. But later, it made me wonder about a delicate psychological symptom that seems to be prompting Gen Z to embrace the distant past.
 

Hope is a dangerous thing

Nope, Zoomers, unlike past generations, aren't waiting till their thirties for nostalgia. They are the true digital natives, remember? Even if they seem okay on the surface, the constant flood of information has left many of them disenchanted about the future. Surveys show Gen Z, more than any other generation, thinks the world will go caput by 2050 due to climate change and economic meltdowns. Mental health is already a tightrope walk for them. Plus, millennials and boomers are already gripping happy about this ‘touchy' generation calling the current work culture ‘toxic’. This clash might get worse over time putting Gen Z deeper into their phones.

Because of all this and more, Gen Z has been brooding. And jumping into the magic of the past is their escape, and thanks to the internet, they have access to it at their fingertips. It's important to note that none of the previous generations in their 20s had this option available ever.

It is true that Gen Z’s connection with yesteryear artists has found ground because of Gen X and millennials’ recognition of them. We can hope that like us, even they will find solace by relishing the joys these artists have been spreading on social media. After all, these yesteryear stars have (unknowingly) taken the onus of healing the wounded spirits of today with their simple yet hard hitting life lessons and wisdom about living life with a firm faith in the present. They are showing Gen Zs (and all of us) what it means to truly live, that there is no age limit to start over, and that being your true selves and holding on to what you believe in pays off better than pretending to be someone else.   

Let’s hope that more of these entertainers will come forward on social media and spread their accumulated pearls of wisdom that we can absorb. Yes, hope is a dangerous thing but it has always carried the world forward, made it resilient against all odds in the future. 

So…let's hope this happens that, someday, we’ll also tell someone, “I am around, bhidu”.