New Delhi: Pakistan is all set to launch its first reality dating show, Lazawal Ishq, styled after global hits like Love Island. Hosted by popular actor Ayesha Omar, its trailer has already clocked over 1.3 million views and also raised hackles in a country where even mild on-screen intimacy can invite regulatory trouble.
In the trailer, Omar, dressed in white on a yacht, speaks in Urdu about finding love. “I am bringing to you a new reality show which you have never seen before,” she says.
Omar next shows a glimpse of the lavish villa where the show will unfold.
“Everyone looking for true love will spend time in this villa, and cameras will record every moment”.
The makers have also created a new YouTube channel to share videos of the show.
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Backlash
The series, which has been filmed in Istanbul, is being promoted as “a reality show about finding eternal love, and the trials and lessons leading up to it.”
Lazawal Ishq brings together eight contestants — four men and four women — who will live together in a luxury villa. They will navigate romantic connections, challenges, and shifting alliances.
Viewers, however, are not entirely impressed by the trailer.
“Astaghfirullah!! This is so gross!! Literally, this is from Pakistani media? Can’t believe!” commented one person on YouTube, while another asked for a ban.
The Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) has strict guidelines for on-screen intimacy and cultural representation.
In 2021, the PEMRA directed all satellite TV channels in the country to refrain from airing scenes that show “hugs, caress scenes, extramarital relations, vulgar, bold dressing” among others as they “disregard Islamic teaching and culture of Pakistani society”.
However, this is not the first time that the risque reality dating format has forayed into conservative markets.
In 2024, Love Is Blind: Habibi, a reality television series based on the American show by the same name, was launched on Netflix. It follows singles from multiple Arab states with the majority now living and working in the UAE. The first season premiered on 10 October 2024.
(Edited by Aamaan Alam Khan)