WATCH | Salim Kumar, Jagathy, and Salman Khan get retro diva glow-up in viral ‘Nano Banana’ AI makeover

The internet’s latest viral sensation, the Nano Banana AI trend, has transformed from a simple image-editing tool into a full-blown meme culture phenomenon, especially in India. Powered by Google Gemini's innovative AI technology, this trend turns photos, especially those of beloved actors, into retro saree-wearing, vintage-glam 3D portraits. But beyond nostalgia, it’s the humour and surprise factor that has truly captured the imagination of netizens.

The Retro Divas from the Classic Film Scenes

Actors like Salim Kumar (in Soothradharan) and the late Jagathy Sreekumar (in Kilukkam Kilukilukkam), famous for their comic roles in drag or as female characters, have become stars of this digital art renaissance. Social media users have been repurposing their iconic scenes using detailed AI prompts to create dramatic 90s Bollywood-style portraits with shimmering sarees and warm golden-hour lighting.

The trend hasn’t spared even Salman Khan, whose well-known cross-dressing scenes from Jaan-E-Mann (2006) have been humorously re-imagined in this viral format. Seeing one of Bollywood’s biggest stars transformed into a retro saree diva became quite a sensation and countless remixes, reinforcing the meme nature of the craze.

The Art and Technology Behind the Transformation

Using Google Gemini's Nano Banana mode, users upload familiar images or screen captures and enter detailed prompts to convert these into stylised, cinematic portraits. The AI then processes the images to add effects like flowing chiffon sarees, retro grain textures, and subtle floral patterns, creating a look that feels both playful and reverential.