The plot wasn’t new for many of us. In Thillu Mullu, a moustache created two identities. It was playful and knowingly absurd. Yet when Hannah Montana did it, we leaned in. A blonde wig and bangs turned an ordinary schoolgirl into a global pop star. We knew it was not plausible. Still, we chose to believe and the double life became a safe dream that felt reachable.
For many of us, then school-going kids from the Global South, it suggested that fame could exist alongside everyday life. It also opened a window to the western culture as it carried American teen life into Indian homes. Fashion, slang, and sound travelled with it. Phrases like “say what?” and “sweet niblets” slipped into casual speech. Music too, anchored this exchange. Songs like ‘The Best of Both Worlds’ blended pop with narrative and they made the dual identity feel coherent. Hannah Montana merchandise and imagery too slipped into our pencil boxes and school bags.
Now, two decades on, Miley Cyrus returns to that image with ease. The blonde hair, the bangs, the memory of a role that shaped a generation. Her early fans are now working in corporate and creative fields, or are busy with their personal lives. They no longer believe in becoming a secret popstar. Yet the nostalgia remains because the show followed by the movie stand as a shared archive of desire. It reminds them of a time when possibilities felt endless. So, they share a piece of their child/teenhood.
Themis Venessa, constume designer
I used to sing a little too well as a child, and music was a big part of my childhood dreams. Watching Hannah Montana from the age of 12 fuelled my dreams of wanting to pursue music later on in life. I didn’t follow through, my dreams changed, but it still holds a special place in my heart because it let the little girl in me dream big. I also felt like Hannah Montana was company. A friend. A way of being seen and also a role model to look up to. As a high schooler, I was made fun of for performing songs of Miley Cyrus and Taylor Swift, too. Their careers had just started and they weren’t “cool” back in the day. The Hannah Montana anniversary has given me comfort in enjoying the music I wanted to and also closure in knowing that I wasn’t alone in enjoying her music from that time and age.
Favourite song — Butterfly Fly Away
Sengavi Thirupathy, decarbonization analyst
My memory is of coming back from school with my elder sister — who was five years older — and watching the show on Disney. The styling in the show was an inspiration for us. I remember how my sister would wear jeans, tank tops, and a sweater vest. She even had those skater gloves that the character Lily wore in the show. It was all very fascinating. Growing up with the show, Miley Stewart’s character was my favourite. She was down to earth and felt like a real person — especially with her brunette hair and bunny teeth. She had fights with her girlfriends, there was school drama which was relatable for me too as I went on to class eight. Overall, it was a very relatable show except with a rockstar spin. As I am talking about it now, it makes me want to go back and watch the show again.
Favourite song — The Best of Both Worlds (I can sing it in my sleep, I think)
Avantika Krishna, journalist
My favourite childhood memory is watching the show with my mom. I realised that she would turn into a girl herself and have a good time watching the show and laughing with me. That aside, the show itself validated me. Back when I was a child, it validated all my crazy dreams and my audacious plans to be a pop star. Watching her (Miley) do it on TV made me think that I can also do it. Even today, the show means that to me. It tells me I can be whatever and however I want to be. The Hanniversary episode made me so emotional. I didn’t expect to shed tears but I did. There is a practice of inner child therapy in psychology right, where you go back to the trauma of your childhood and help your younger self feel and do better? I think the Hanniversary episode was inner child therapy for me. It made me feel like I can be comfortable in my skin and that no matter what garb I put on for the world — like the wig Miley put on — my true self will always be there for myself.
Favourite song — Nobody’s Perfect
Ragavi M, video producer
As a seven-year-old girl, I was naturally drawn to Hannah Montana. The glam, the outfits, and the whole secret popstar and double life energy was all so exciting. I used to pretend to be Hannah, I collected her stickers, and even had a Hannah Montana school bag. But as I grew older, I found myself drawn to Miley Stewart’s character more. She had to handle so much responsibility, keep her identity a secret, stay grounded, and make real sacrifices. Over time, I realised that Miley was more real and relatable, and that is what makes me appreciate the show more. As cliché as it may sound, the show taught me a lot about dreams, passion, friendships, and family. It made me believe that when things get messy, they will eventually work out. The Hanniversary episode was honestly a little underwhelming. The core cast was missing. I just wish it had focused more on bringing the cast together and letting them talk about the show we all grew up with.
Favourite songs — The Best of Both Worlds, This Is The Life, and The Climb
Shakeenaa Abdul Gafoor, advocate, High Court of Madras
It is a show that makes one understand the importance of family, love, and friendship. Every character in the show would keep each other’s secrets, never give up on one another, and was always there for one another. The extent to which Miley’s friends and family are willing to go to protect her secret throughout the show and how in the end, she gives up her secret because she feels she is hurting them; it was beautiful while also being funny and entertaining. My favourite memories include my school best friend and I pretending to be Miley and Lily. We would write it down everywhere that we were Miley and Lily. I used to make scrap books like Miley would in the show, collect all her photos, stickers, and official merchandise. Most importantly, the Hannah closet was a dream for me. I still think that if I ever build a house, I will build a Hannah closet for myself. Watching the Hanniversary episode, my childhood came back to me. It took me to some core memories that I am failing to describe through words.
Favourite songs — The Best of Both Worlds, I Miss You, I Will Always Remember You, and The Climb
Sneha Bhattacharjee, PR executive
The show was very special to me because watching it made me think of myself as a ‘big girl’ because I had then moved on from cartoons to this genre of Disney. Very recently, I came across some home videos my mom made when I was a child. In one of those clips, probably from 2007 or 2008, my mom is recording me while we are on the lift of our apartment. In it I am jittery and asking why the lift is taking so long to go up. Then my mom asks me why I am in such a hurry and I give her a snarky smile. Once the lift stops on our floor, I run towards our house and my mom is heard saying, “She is running because Hannah Montana is on TV”. I was surprisingly emotional throughout the Hanniversary episode. Especially when Miley Cyrus says something about how the episode is for those who grew up with the show to look back and also at the person they have become today; it really hit me. I could feel the years that have passed by and it felt so personal. Miley’s growth, and all of her fans’ growth, I believe it all came a full circle.
Favourite song— Rock Star