Published : 20 Sep 2025, 03:18 PM
Updated : 21 Aug 2026, 01:50 PM
Your Instagram and Facebook feeds may feel like déjà vu right now. Scroll after scroll reveals glowing faces draped in soft, billowing sarees, bathed in the amber light of an eternal golden hour.
The backdrops evoke the faded romance of vintage cinema -- sepia skies, film grain, a whisper of nostalgia in every frame. But these are not studio portraits, nor carefully curated photoshoots.
They are the product of a new digital sorcery: Google’s Gemini. With just a single selfie and a prompt, this powerful image-generation tool reimagines the ordinary into the extraordinary, conjuring portraits that feel lifted from forgotten Bollywood reels.
Born from the platform’s viral “Nano Banana” trend, this style is now sweeping across Bangladesh’s social media landscape. But beneath the colours and gloss, many ask: is this visual wave inspiring, or has it become a monotonous echo?
From the bustling streets of Dhaka to quieter corners across the country, countless users are turning their everyday selfies into cinematic portraits with just a few taps.
For many, it is enchanting.
“I never imagined seeing myself in a photo like this,” said Anika Sharmila, a university aspirant. “It’s like the perfect version of me.”
The appeal is not just in the results, but in the effortlessness of it all. No photographer. No stylist. No studio session. Just one click, one prompt and a piece of digital magic appears.
But magic, when repeated too often, can lose its wonder.
“I’m fascinated by what AI can do,” said Ojifa Tia, a Sylhet Agricultural University student. “But honestly, after seeing dozens of almost identical images, it begins to feel less like art and more like a copy-paste.”
When asked if she tried the trend, she said: “I have plenty of beautiful saree photos already. AI might make flawless images, but they can’t match the originals. So, I chose not to participate.”
While the Gemini portraits wow with their beauty and ease of creation, many users pause before jumping on the bandwagon.
Even with friends diving in, worries about data safety keep others on the sidelines.
“Everyone says it’s easy to do, and I watched my friend make her portrait in no time,” said Amrin Ahmed. “But honestly, I’m a bit cautious about privacy and how safe it really is.”
“I’m curious but want to be safe, so I’m skipping the trend for now,” she added.
The dazzling Gemini trend masks deeper issues around data use and idealised beauty.
Tanha Islam, a cybersecurity analyst at Arup, a global engineering and consulting firm, said: “I get why people love it -- it’s easy, beautiful, and connects you to your roots. But there’s a downside. Everyone looks ‘flawless’, no real individuality remains.
“This kind of perfection creates unrealistic standards, making people question their own appearance and lose touch with their authentic selves.”
“And I do agree with worry that it’s becoming repetitive,” she added. “Plus, there’s the issue of data privacy. These platforms can store and reuse our photos, and we don’t really know how our facial data might be used later.”
Soyada Layla Mitu, a travel content creator, believes the trend could be “damaging”.
She said, “I think it will harm our authenticity. People will start chasing perfection in fake, edited images rather than appreciating real beauty. This creates unrealistic beauty standards that don’t bring any positive outcomes.
“Instead of focusing on self-growth or improving their real appearance, people might rely on perfect pictures, which could make them lazy and less motivated to be productive in real life.”
Takdir Hossain, a photographer, said: “This kind of thing can be exciting. But I don’t think this trend will last long or affect traditional photography.
“What concerns me most is if people limit themselves to this trend or start misusing it, which could be quite harmful.”
Waheeda Aador, who flies internationally as a flight attendant, recently posted a beautiful AI-generated picture of herself in a green saree.
She said: “All trends have their lifespan and can become monotonous over time. But for me, I enjoyed creating AI photos with saree for myself, my friends and family.”
“It’s fun. Still, real photography captures real feelings and AI photos can’t replace that.”
Farhan Ahmed, who claims to spend a considerable amount of time on social media, lamented the monotony sweeping through his feeds.
“Now scrolling doesn’t feel good anymore. All the girls look the same. When will it stop? Just try changing the prompt! I don’t get why everyone uses the same one,” he said.
Irtija Nafis, who regularly shares aesthetic travel shots on Instagram, mentioned she favours real photos and is getting bored by the repetitive style of images flooding her feed.
Interestingly, this trend is not limited to Bangladesh alone; India has also seen a surge of users embracing the Gemini Nano Banana AI saree portraits, making it a cross-border digital phenomenon.
Reflecting these growing concerns and the trend’s reach, The Times of India published a report on Thursday titled “Google Gemini’s Nano Banana Viral AI Saree Trend Goes Wrong for Some Users: ‘Creepy’ AI Edits Spark Safety Concerns.”
According to the report, while the technology offers exciting creative possibilities, users must remain cautious of potential misuse and privacy risks.
The report said one user was alarmed to find a mole clearly visible on her left hand in the AI-generated image, even though the original photo she uploaded did not show the mole. She confirmed that she does have the mole in real life, but its sudden appearance in the edited picture -- absent from the original -- raised concerns about how the AI infers or fabricates details beyond the source image.
The Times of India also outlined tips for staying safe on AI platforms:
• Avoid uploading sensitive or highly personal images
• Review AI-generated outputs carefully for unexpected details
• Understand the privacy policies of AI platforms and how images are stored
• Use trusted tools to verify AI-generated content where possible
This digital phenomenon shows no sign of fading, but striking the right balance between enthusiasm and caution is essential.
Users who choose to engage or hold back alike must stay informed to navigate privacy and originality concerns. Their response now may well chart the course for future AI-driven trends on social media.
