Quick take: A new feature inside Google’s Gemini app — popularly nicknamed “Nano Banana” — turns ordinary photos into small, collectible-style 3D figurine images. The tool exploded into a viral trend in India in September 2025. Young people, creators and even public figures are sharing Nano Banana avatars across Instagram, X, YouTube and messaging apps because the images are easy to make, highly shareable and visually cute
What is “Nano Banana”?
“Nano Banana” is the informal name users gave to Gemini 2.5 Flash Image — Google’s latest image-editing model inside the Gemini (AI) app and Google AI Studio. It specialises at editing real photos to create consistent, toy-like 3D figurines (often shown with packaging or studio mockups) while preserving the subject’s likeness. Google positions it as a fast, powerful image editing upgrade in Gemini’s toolset.
How people make these figurines (very simple)
Creating a Nano Banana image is straightforward, which is part of the trend’s appeal:
- Open the Gemini app or Google AI Studio and choose the Gemini 2.5 / “Nano Banana” image option.
- Upload a portrait photo (or start from a prompt).
- Use a short prompt such as “make a collectible 3D figurine” or pick one of the viral prompts that circulate on social media.
- The app returns high-quality, small-toy style images you can download and share.
Indian outlets and tech guides published step-by-step walkthroughs because anyone with a Google account can try it quickly.
Why it clicked with India’s youth
Several practical and cultural reasons explain the fast spread among young Indians:
- Instant shareability: The images are visually striking at a glance — perfect for feeds, reels and profile pictures. That makes them ideal for short-attention social platforms.
- Low skill barrier: You don’t need design software or training. A phone and a short prompt are enough, which appeals to Gen Z and young creators.
- Playful self-expression: Turning yourself or a pet into a collectible toy is light, fun and non-political for many users — the kind of micro-creativity that goes viral.
- Meme and celebrity pull: When influencers, celebrities or even politicians share their Nano Banana avatars, the trend amplifies quickly. Recent local examples show public figures posting Nano Banana images, helping the craze cross into mainstream timelines.
These elements combine to create rapid adoption — the exact ingredients that make a social trend stick among young audiences.
What makes Nano Banana different from past filters?
AI filters and stylisers are not new in India (think Ghibli-style and other viral edits). Nano Banana stands out because it focuses on:
- Identity consistency: It preserves the subject’s facial features across edits, so outputs look recognisably like the original person.
- Photoreal but toylike rendering: The images read as physical collectibles — like mini figurines in packaging — not just flat stylised images.
- Speed and accessibility: Gemini’s Flash Image model produces results quickly and is integrated into Google’s widely used apps.
These technical improvements make the output feel higher quality and more “collectible” than previous trends.
Why brands, creators and politicians care
Because the output is eye-catching and easy to share, brands and creators see marketing uses — from product teasers to personalised merchandise mockups. Politicians and public figures who post such images can generate quick engagement, which explains why the trend reached political timelines in some states. For marketers, the Nano Banana look is a fresh visual language for short campaigns and influencer content.
Ethical and safety questions (what to watch)
Even as the trend is playful, experts and reporters warn of real concerns that keep the topic evergreen:
- Misuse and deepfakes: Tools that edit photos convincingly can be used to create misleading or manipulated images. FastCompany and other analysts note that advanced editing makes it harder to trust photos without provenance
- Privacy and data: Viral image features often raise questions about who can use your photos, how long edits are stored and whether images feed back into training datasets. India has had earlier controversies with viral AI art trends and privacy experts flagged similar risks.
- Transparency measures: Google and other companies are working on watermarking and other controls (for example, SynthID and other provenance tools), but the effectiveness of these measures is still being evaluated. Users and platforms will need clearer rules and better detection over time
Because these issues affect trust and safety, they ensure Nano Banana will remain part of conversations beyond the viral moment.
What this trend means for India — long term
- Creative democratisation: The trend shows how easy access to strong AI tools can widen who creates digital art — a lasting change for Indian creators and micro-businesses.
- New marketing formats: Brands will experiment with collectible-style content and personalised merchandising, creating new monetisation paths for creators.data rights and digital media literacy so users understand what they share and how it might be used. Past viral AI art trends have already triggered such debates in the country.
Practical tips for young users (short checklist)
- Use trusted platforms (official Gemini app / Google AI Studio).
- Don’t upload sensitive images you wouldn’t share publicly.
- Read any terms of service before using images commercially.
- Look for watermarks or provenance tags when sharing or reposting images.
Bottom line
Nano Banana is more than a passing filter: it demonstrates how fast, identity-preserving image editing can spark mass participation, shape online visual culture and create new opportunities for creators and brands. For India’s young internet users, it’s a playful tool for self-expression — but one that comes with ethical and privacy questions that will keep the discussion alive long after the first wave of viral posts
Sources (selected)
Google developer blog (Gemini 2.5 / Nano Banana).
Times of India — explainers and how-to guides
NDTV / Indian Express / Mathrubhumi — trend coverage in India.
Economic Times — earlier coverage of privacy debates around viral AI edit trends.
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