HYDERABAD — A new trend on social media is taking over India, turning regular selfies into beautiful, old-fashioned pictures that look like they came from Bollywood movies from the 1990s. Google’s Gemini 2.5 Flash Image tool, sometimes known as “Nano Banana,” is behind the craze. It lets users make stylized pictures with flowing chiffon sarees, dramatic lighting, and the look of old movie posters. The application is very popular right now because it can make pictures that look like they were taken during the “golden hour,” with features like jasmine flowers in hair and soft, grainy textures.
Celebrities and influencers, including actress Sonakshi Sinha, have gotten in on the trend by posting pictures of themselves in red silk sarees and other traditional clothes made by AI. The phenomena shows how creative AI may be by letting consumers easily picture themselves as stars from a past movie era.
ఇంటర్నెట్లో ట్రెండింగ్ లతో జాగ్రత్త!
— V.C. Sajjanar, IPS (@SajjanarVC) September 14, 2025
'నానో బనానా' ట్రెండింగ్ మాయలో పడి.. వ్యక్తిగత సమాచారాన్ని ఇంటర్నెట్ లో కుమ్మరిస్తే ఇలాంటి మోసాలే జరుగుతాయి.
ఒక్క క్లిక్తోనే బ్యాంక్ ఖాతాల్లో ఉన్న డబ్బు నేరగాళ్ల చేతుల్లోకి పోతుంది.
ఫేక్ వెబ్సైట్లు, అనధికార యాప్లకు ఫోటోలు/వ్యక్తిగత… pic.twitter.com/ZqmsqZ0wOi
But a high-ranking police officer has raised the alert and told people to be careful. IPS officer VC Sajjanar used X (previously Twitter) to warn people about the possible risks of the “Nano Banana” craze. He said that even while the fad is amusing, users “might be falling into a trap” and putting their personal information at risk.
Sajjanar’s warning is on the dangers of giving personal information to false or unauthorized websites and apps that look like real AI technologies. He said that when personal information is made public online, it is likely that frauds will emerge. He also said that criminals can “phish” for money with just “one click.” “With just one click, fraudsters can get the money in your bank accounts. He warned, “Never give fake websites or unauthorized apps your photos or personal information.”
The police officer said that it’s okay to post happy things on social media, but safety online should always come first. He said that once data is submitted to fraudulent sites, it is very hard to get it back. “Before you upload your images or personal information, think again. These trends arise and make a big deal for a few days before going away. It can be hard to get your data back after it travels to fraudulent websites or apps that aren’t allowed. Sajjanar ended with, “Remember, your data, your money—your responsibility.”
The caution is a timely reminder for those who use the internet to be careful about their privacy and to only utilize legitimate, verified sites when they take part in viral online phenomena.