The 1980s AI photo trend has taken over social media, with images generated using ChatGPT typically featuring retro hairstyles, bold outfits, traditional looks, vintage poses and old-school photography effects. After Bollywood celebrities, several South Indian stars have also hopped on the bandwagon. Keerthy Suresh is among those whose vintage-inspired avatar has caught attention.

Keerthy shared a series of AI photos, some of which also featured her husband, Antony Thattil. The caption read, “A little late in the parallel universe…🤷‍♀️.”

 

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A post shared by Keerthy Suresh (@keerthysureshofficial)

Earlier, Kajal Aggarwal shared a photo of herself in a striking retro-inspired avatar. In the AI-generated image, the actor is seen wearing a denim outfit paired with oversized hoops and bangles. Her hair is styled in voluminous, soft curls, adding the signature big-hair drama of the 1980s to the look.

Kajal Aggarwal shared her 80s version.

Veteran Malayalam actor Lalu Alex also joined the trend. He shared his photo with the caption, “And me too!”

 

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A post shared by Lalu Alex (@lalualexactor)

Actor Bellamkonda Sai Sreenivas, who primarily works in Telugu cinema, also shared his photos with the 80s edit and wrote, “Rewinding to an era where style was bold, charm was effortless, and swag was timeless. The ’80s, but with my own twist. #vintagevibes #1980sEra.”

Rewinding to an era where style was bold, charm was effortless, and swag was timeless.

The ’80s, but with my own twist.#vintagevibes #1980sEra pic.twitter.com/crOAnPO5kt

— Bellamkonda Sreenivas (@BSaiSreenivas) September 11, 2026

Telugu actor Meghamsh Srihari shared AI-generated photos featuring him with his late father, prominent actor Srihari, and wrote, “Loving these edits❤️.”

 

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A post shared by Meghamsh raghumudri (@meghamshsrihari)

The nostalgia trend has also caught on among Malayalam celebrities, with Swasika, Prem Jacob, Manju Pathrose, Arya Babu, Aparna Thomas, Abhirami Suresh, Pearle Maaney, Srinish Aravind, Jasmin Jaffar, Cerena Ann, Alina Padikkal and Akhil Marar sharing their own AI-generated retro avatars.

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A post shared by Prem Jacob (@premtheactor)

 

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A post shared by Manju Pathrose (@manju_pathrose_official)

 

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A post shared by Arya Babu (@arya.badai)

 

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A post shared by Aparna Thomas 💫 (@aparnathomas)

 

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A post shared by Abhirami Suresh 🧞‍♀️ ആമി (@ebbietoot)

 

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A post shared by Srinish Aravind (@srinish_aravind)

 

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A post shared by Jasmin J (@jasmin__jaffar)

 

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A post shared by Cerrena Ann Johnson (@cerena.ann)

 

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A post shared by Alina Padikkal (@alina.padikkal)

 

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A post shared by Akhil marar (@akhilmarar1)

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The trend has also caught on among fans of South Indian cinema, who are using AI to reimagine their favourite stars in retro avatars. AI-generated photos of actors including Samantha Ruth Prabhu, Sai Pallavi, Trisha, Parvathy, Kalyani Priyadarshan and Nayanthara have been widely shared on social media.

If you want to try the 1980s trend yourself, upload a clear photograph to ChatGPT and experiment with these prompts:

1980s classic studio portrait

“Transform my uploaded photo into a classic 1980s studio portrait. Keep my facial features, identity, and natural expression recognisable. Give me an authentic 1980s hairstyle and outfit, with a simple studio backdrop and soft portrait lighting. Make the image look like it was photographed on an analogue film camera in the 1980s, with subtle film grain, slightly muted colours, and natural imperfections. Avoid making it look like a modern digital photograph.”

1980s family album

For something that feels less posed, try recreating the warmth and imperfections of an old family photograph.

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“Turn my uploaded photo into a warm 1980s family album photograph. Keep my face and identity unchanged while giving me period-appropriate clothing, hairstyle, and styling. Place me in a simple home setting with the feel of an ordinary family photograph from the decade. Use analogue film texture, slightly faded colours, natural lighting, mild grain and the imperfect quality of an old printed photograph.”

1980s college student

Want to imagine what you might have looked like on a college campus four decades ago? This prompt adds the setting and styling associated with the era.

“Transform my uploaded photo into an authentic 1980s college photograph. Keep my identity and facial features intact. Give me a hairstyle, outfit, and accessories inspired by college fashion of the 1980s. Place me in a vintage college campus setting with period-appropriate architecture and details. Make the photograph feel candid and nostalgic, with analogue film grain, natural lighting and the slightly soft appearance of an old printed photograph.”

1980s wedding photograph

This one recreates the look of a traditional wedding picture, complete with period styling and the slightly faded quality of photographs kept in old family albums.

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“Transform my uploaded photo into a nostalgic 1980s wedding photograph. Keep my facial features and identity recognisable. Dress me in authentic wedding clothing and styling inspired by the 1980s, with period-appropriate hair and accessories. Create a traditional wedding setting with vintage decorations and analogue photography. Make it look like a real photograph from an old family album, with natural film grain, soft lighting and slightly faded colours.”

1980s Bollywood poster

For an unmistakably Indian take on the trend, you can go beyond photography and recreate the visual language of an old Bollywood poster.

“Transform this photo into a colourful 1980s Bollywood film poster. Use hand-painted poster aesthetics, dramatic lighting, saturated reds, yellows, and blues, bold typography-inspired graphic elements, and an exaggerated cinematic composition. Keep the person’s identity and facial features recognisable.”