Piyush Goyal to Shashi Tharoor: Politicians join viral ChatGPT ’80s trend

Kiren Rijiju and Shashi Tharoor skipped AI-generated throwbacks, instead sharing actual photographs from the 1980s as their take on the viral nostalgia trend.

By: Trends Desk
6 min readNew DelhiUpdated: Sep 10, 2026 05:57 PM IST
ChatGPT 80s AI photo trendA look at how politicians are joining the viral 1980s nostalgia trend with AI images and real photographs.
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The 1980s have made an unlikely comeback on social media. Instagram and X are currently awash with retro-style portraits, with users using AI tools to give their present-day photographs an old-school 1980s makeover. The nostalgia wave has also caught the attention of several political leaders, who have shared their own AI-generated versions.

Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal was among the political figures to take part. Sharing an AI-generated portrait, Goyal wrote, “Vibing to the 80s trend.” In the image, he is seen in a grey suit, white shirt, and aviator sunglasses. Sepia tones, film grain and a faded finish give the photograph the appearance of an old studio portrait.

 

Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy also joined the 1980s nostalgia trend taking over social media on Thursday, sharing an AI-generated portrait of himself on X and Instagram with the caption, “Joining 80s trend.” The image features Reddy leaning against a motorbike, with a retro backdrop of vintage film posters recreating the old-world charm of the decade.

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In the AI-generated portrait, Reddy is dressed in an off-white shirt, khaki trousers and a brown coat. He can be seen smiling, with one hand in his pocket and the other resting on the bike.

 

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma also joined in, posting his own retro-inspired AI image. “Getting to any trend which has nostalgia attached to it. Back to the 80s eh!” Sarma wrote.

 

Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan shared a similar throwback, posing in a sweater and writing, “80s called, I answered.”

 

BJP MP Anurag Thakur also got on board, sharing a retro-style photograph on Instagram with the caption, “joining the 80s trend.”

 

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Union Minister Chirag Paswan also shared his take on the 1980s-inspired trend.

 

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju also posted an AI-generated version of himself on X. In the image, he is seen wearing sunglasses, a blazer, and an open shirt while posing beside a car.

However, Rijiju followed it up with something that was not AI-generated. “Everyone’s asking ChatGPT what they would’ve looked like in the ’80s. I have decided to go short cut. No AI & No ChatGPT. This is real me in the ’80s,” he wrote in his next post, sharing an actual photograph of himself from the decade.

 

Congress MP Shashi Tharoor took a similar route, but with photographs from his own past. “The ’80s seem to be back, courtesy of AI,” Tharoor wrote on X. “I thought I’d join the trend the old-fashioned way.” He then shared photographs from the 1980s featuring himself and his sons, Ishaan and Kanishk.

 

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A post shared by Shashi Tharoor (@shashitharoor)

 

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The Uttarakhand Youth Congress also joined the nostalgia wave by sharing AI-generated images of Lok Sabha Opposition leader Rahul Gandhi. The photographs showed Gandhi recreated in 1980s-inspired settings and outfits.

Congress leader Renuka Chowdhury, however, did not need AI to recreate the decade. Sharing an actual photograph from the 1980s, she wrote, “Everyone’s asking ChatGPT what they would’ve looked like in the ’80s. Me? I’ve got receipts. No AI needed. This is actually me in the ’80s.”

 

How to create your own ’80s portrait

You do not need Photoshop or professional editing skills to recreate the look. With a clear photograph and a detailed prompt, ChatGPT can transform a regular picture into an image inspired by the 1980s.

  • Open ChatGPT and start a new conversation.
  • Tap the plus icon and upload a clear photograph. A well-lit, front-facing picture with a relatively uncluttered background generally works best.
  • Tell ChatGPT what kind of 1980s look you want, including the clothes, hairstyle, accessories, setting and lighting.
  • Ask it to preserve your recognisable facial features and natural skin tone while changing the styling and surroundings.
  • Look at the result and make follow-up requests if you want to adjust specific details. You can refine the same image rather than starting over each time.

Prompt to create the ’80s trend photo

“Reimagine this image as a glamorous 1980s Indian film portrait. Retain the subject’s recognisable facial features and natural skin tone. Add voluminous, softly curled hair, a bold and colourful outfit, statement jewellery, warm studio-style lighting, rich cinematic tones and a subtle vintage film grain. Ensure the final image looks realistic, polished and elegant.”

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