LSA 2025, When prestige forgets the public, and winners are learnt from social media

Lux Style Awards (LSA) 2025 sparked debate over transparency and media access as winners emerged via social media, raising questions about PR gaps, elite branding, and public engagement at Pakistan’s biggest awards.

By Imran Malik, MediaBites

As Karachi’s temperature dipped to a bearable low, the historic Mohatta Palace came alive with the 24th edition of the much-awaited Lux Style Awards. LSA 2025 should have been a night remembered for talent, creativity and recognition. Instead, it once again exposed a serious communication gap that continues to distance Pakistan’s biggest awards from the public and the media.

LSA 2026, like previous editions, failed on one basic front: there was no single, official, detailed PR release carrying winners’ names, categories and context. My team members, and even kids scrolling Instagram and Facebook, ended up compiling winner lists from celebrity posts. The first concrete information I received was that two ARY Digital dramas had won awards, shared not through official LSA channels, but via a LinkedIn post by the channel’s CEO.

This raises a simple but uncomfortable question: how many people in Pakistan have access to a media CEO’s LinkedIn feed to learn about national award winners?

Unilever Pakistan is a multinational brand with mass-market products, yet the Lux Style Awards increasingly feel exclusive, limited to an elite circle of fashion insiders, brands and select media. Many viewers didn’t even know when the awards ceremony was taking place, let alone where to find verified, complete information about nominees and winners.

This year’s ceremony itself was noticeably scaled down. Instead of a large televised spectacle, organisers opted for an intimate gathering with a curated guest list of celebrities, nominees, media professionals and influencers. While there is nothing wrong with a smaller format, limited access makes transparent communication even more critical.

Despite these issues, the night did honour notable talent across film, television, music, fashion and digital platforms. A total of 28 awards were presented, split between Critics’ Choice and Viewers’ Choice.

Winners list, Television

• Drama of the Year (Viewers’ Choice): Kabhi Main Kabhi Tum
• Best Drama Serial (Critics’ Choice): Zard Patton Ka Bunn
• Best Long TV Serial (Viewers’ Choice): Baby Baji Ki Bahuain
• Best Actress Female (TV): Hania Aamir (Kabhi Main Kabhi Tum)
• Best Actor Male (TV): Fahad Mustafa (Kabhi Main Kabhi Tum)
• Best On-Screen Couple: Fahad Mustafa & Hania Aamir (Kabhi Main Kabhi Tum)

Music

Song of the Year: Jhol

Fashion

• Fashion Award (Jury Recognition): HSY (Designer)
• Best Model of the Year: Yasser Dar

Digital Content

• Digital Content Creator of the Year: Rehan Nazim & Rabya Kulsoom (Ron and Coco)
• Digital Content Creator Award: Aidah Sheikh
• Digital Trendsetter: Erica Robins (Model)
• Beauty Influencer of the Year: Hira Faisal

Special Recognition

Emerging Talent of the Year: Khushhal Khan (Dunyapur)

Lifetime Achievement Award

Unilever Chairman’s Lifetime Achievement Award: Abida Parveen

Globally, the most prestigious awards, including the Oscars, announce dates, categories, jury details and nominations months in advance through official websites and structured PR. Everything is accessible, archived and media-friendly. In Pakistan, where we still lack consistent live broadcasts of major award shows, clarity and openness should be a priority, not an afterthought.

If LSA had an exclusive media partner, that decision itself deserves reconsideration. A brand of this scale should not limit visibility to a single channel. Equal access and shared marketing rights across media platforms would strengthen credibility and public ownership.

Congratulations to all the winners of the Lux Style Awards 2025. The talent deserves celebration. But moving forward, the Lux Style Awards must become more awami, more transparent and genuinely media-friendly, because prestige grows when people are informed, included and engaged, not when they are left guessing.

Winners list courtesy: Hum TV / Picture courtesy: 24 News