Piyush Goyal’s AI-generated 1980s portrait went viral on X, with users comparing his retro look to Bollywood actors.
His post comes amid BJP leaders’ growing use of social media trends and digital formats to connect with Gen Z and younger audiences after student protests in Delhi.
Kiren Rijiju and Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma also joined the trend, sharing retro AI images and embracing the wave of 1980s nostalgia.
Piyush Goyal, Rijiju & Himanta Join 1980s AI Trend, Giving BJP’s Digital Outreach A New Twist
BJP leaders are increasingly tapping viral trends, AI tools and social media formats in an apparent bid to connect with digitally native youth
Summary
Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal has joined the growing 1980s AI trend on X, sharing an AI-generated portrait of himself that prompted some users to suggest he could have had a second career in Bollywood.
Goyal shared the image on Tuesday with the caption, “Vibing to the 80s trend”. The post has garnered more than 96 lakh views, with several users reacting to his retro appearance and suggesting that he looked ready for a Hindi film debut.
The viral format is part of a wider social media trend in which users are using artificial intelligence tools to recreate their appearance in 1980s-style photographs. Goyal’s post offered a lighter social media hook beyond his usual political and economic messaging.
AI Retro Makeover
In the AI-generated portrait, Goyal is seen in a sharp grey suit, white shirt and aviator sunglasses. The image has been styled to resemble an old 1980s studio photograph, complete with sepia tones, film grain and a slightly faded finish.
The trend has gained popularity online, with users transforming their photographs into retro versions featuring muted colours, grainy textures and period styling.
The trend has also caught on among other BJP leaders. Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju shared the same AI-generated image, writing, “Why is everyone going back to the 80s vibes? I'm also forced to 80s nostalgia!”
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma also joined the trend, posting a retro image with the caption, “Getting to any trend which has nostalgia attached to it, Back to the 80s eh!”
The posts reflect how the 1980s nostalgia trend has spread beyond ordinary social media users, with political leaders also joining in and using a popular digital format to engage with audiences online.
BJP’s Digital Outreach To Gen Z
Goyal’s post also comes amid a broader effort by BJP leaders to remain visible in digital spaces frequented by younger and digitally native audiences.
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Prime Minister Narendra Modi has increasingly used formats and language familiar to social media users. A few days ago, while addressing the centenary celebrations of Shri Ram College of Commerce (SRCC), Modi referred to its alumni as the institution’s “OGs”, saying they had taken the college’s name across the world and made their mark in different fields.
Earlier, Modi and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath have also used selfie-style videos and other social media formats to engage directly with citizens.
Such posts are increasingly being viewed as part of the BJP’s wider attempt to reach Gen Z and younger voters through the platforms, visual formats and digital language they consume regularly.
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