2025 is here, and it has come with a new wave of trends. If the predictions are correct, then 2025 is going to birth a whole new assortment of daters, all set to forsake the typical "chivalry" in men and the "never look back" attitude. The insights of a recent study by India's most popular dating app, QuackQuack, shows that 3 in 5 men are embracing their softer side without fear of judgment, and daters are seeking friendship first in their online matches. The app's Founder and CEO, Ravi Mittal, said, "This is going to be an interesting year- while we have trends that are redefining masculinity and introducing new ways of boasting about yourself, there's also a fascinating spike in rematches and friendship-first kind of matches. It is making us see and revisit dating in a new light. This year, in the online dating world, the sky will be the limit."
The study was conducted among 12,000 randomly chosen users between 18 to 35 from Tier 1, 2, and 3 cities for an exhaustive outlook. Participants were selected from various fields- IT, healthcare, education, sales and marketing, finance, media, and more along with students and job seekers.
The FriendZone
2025 might be the year of friendships, indicates QuackQuack's latest survey insights. Over 24% of daters from metros and smaller cities have reportedly added "looking for friends" in their bios since the beginning of the year. Rather than worrying about how every turn can bring them closer to their love story, daters are now investing their time and opening themselves up for genuine and lasting platonic connections, which might or might not turn into romance in the future. Aditya, 25-year-old IT professional, commented, "This year, I don't want the pressure of forming a romantic connection immediately or making a vision board of how a relationship should go- this FriendZone seems safe and low-pressure."
Let's Rematch
QuackQuack reported a significant rise in users rematching with their ex-connections. Around 13% of single men and women have revisited old matches and reinitiated conversations. 2 in 4 of these daters commented that the timing might not have been right then, but the concept of Rematch allows them to restore interactions with matches once lost in the digital shuffle and the virtual crowd. 29-year-old Harpreet said, "First impressions are NOT everything. Life can get in the way, and you can completely forget what impression you made or what they made on you. I believe the Rematch trend is a great way of taking your time and coming back to each other once you are on the same wavelength."
Mard 2.0
Being a man no longer means "being silent and broody," "holding back tears," and "not expressing emotions." Enter Mard 2.0, a new breed of men who are not afraid to show their vulnerable side. Almost 38% of men between 25 and 35 are breaking free from traditional expectations of masculinity- they are prioritizing their mental health, for instance, waiting the right amount of time after a breakup to move on instead of band-aiding the wound. These men are emotionally available and do not hide their feelings behind a macho facade. Sanjeet from Mumbai says, "I prefer to open up about my vulnerabilities to my matches; they should know what they are getting into. It's only fair. And I also want to be in a secure relationship where I can openly express emotions, not one where my masculinity is crucified because I cried."
#BetterThanSharmaJiKaBeta
The legendary Sharmaji ka Beta is now the benchmark of desirable boyfriend material. This year, daters have started using it as the perfect comparison; the hashtags have taken over the app as users have found the most clever way of boasting and showcasing their best version without coming off as a showoff. Around 17% of men between 18 and 28 are seen using the hashtag while mentioning their career achievements, academic successes, or unique interests. Nitin, a painter from Delhi, said, "The hashtag screams 'I deserve a spot in the spotlight too,' but in the most mellow and hilarious way possible."
