Reality television in Pakistan is having a moment it hasn't seen in over a decade.
Ali Zafar, Mehwish Hayat, and Tabish Hashmi have been confirmed as the judging panel for the inaugural season of Pakistan's Got Talent. The series is produced by Pixel Entertainment, which secured official licensing rights from Fremantle, the international owner of the Got Talent franchise. Geo TV has been confirmed as the exclusive broadcaster, with preparations already well under way.
Auditions have officially opened, giving performers from across the country a shot at worldwide recognition. The show is expected to welcome singers, dancers, magicians, comedians, acrobats, beatboxers, and more. Applicants must submit a video of their act along with a self-introduction through the online portal.
Zafar brings one of the most recognizable names in Pakistani pop culture to the table. His fourth studio album, Roshni, was released in December 2025 via Lightingale Records. He debuted in Pakistani cinema with Teefa in Trouble in 2018 after years of work in Hindi films and music. His ties to reality television date back to 2013, when he performed the official theme for the original Pakistan Idol on Geo TV.
Hayat, meanwhile, ranks among Pakistan's biggest film stars. She debuted in Jawani Phir Nahi Ani in 2015 and went on to star in Punjab Nahi Jaungi, Load Wedding, and London Nahi Jaunga, all ranking among the highest-grossing Pakistani films. She was honoured with the Tamgha-e-Imtiaz by the Government of Pakistan in 2019. More recently, she returned to the small screen after seven years in Geo Entertainment's supernatural drama Dayan.
Hashmi, the third judge, is Pakistan's reigning late-night personality. He is known for hosting Hasna Mana Hai, a Geo News comedy talk show that has featured virtually every major Pakistani celebrity over the past few years. His sharp, unpredictable interviewing style should translate well to a live audition setting.
The Got Talent format, originally created by Simon Cowell and owned by Fremantle, has aired in more than 70 countries and holds the Guinness World Record for the most successful reality TV format in history. Pakistan now joins that list for the first time.
Got Talent is one of two reality projects currently in Pixel Entertainment's pipeline. The company previously produced the second season of Masterchef Pakistan and brought Shark Tank to the country. The announcement also coincides with a broader resurgence of reality formats in Pakistan, including a rebooted Pakistan Idol, which premiered in October 2025 with Fawad Khan, Rahat Fateh Ali Khan, Zeb Bangash, and Bilal Maqsood as judges.
With auditions now live and a trio of high-profile judges locked in, Pakistan's Got Talent enters a competitive reality landscape that barely existed two years ago. How it performs will say a lot about the appetite for variety-format television in a market still finding its footing.
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