You’ve most likely seen it by now, or at least the majority of Pakistani social media users have. But, in case you’ve been living under a rock for the last month, here’s a quick rundown of the #HasanZongChallenge.
Last month, Zong released a dance challenge featuring Hasan Raheem for YouTube Shorts and the internet went absolutely crazy over it. Why? Well, because while dance challenges are fairly common nowadays, with short-form videos being the most popular form of media consumption for the younger audience, they don’t always come with the added incentive of getting a shout-out from Hasan Raheem. Yes, the same Hasan Raheem who you’ve never been able to see live since his tickets sell out so quickly!
Here are the moves the singer asked his fans to follow:
Not long after the challenge was announced, influencers started posting their own versions of the dance challenge. Romaisa Khan, Laiba Khurram, Waliya Najib, Sid Mr Rapper, Raheem Pardesi, DablewTee, Fatima Faisal from Sistrology, Areeka Haq, and even Jannat Zubair were among those who participated. This challenge had a more star-studded lineup than the previous HUM Awards. It was like the influencer version of ‘Step Up.’
Choosing to keep the competition within family, Waliya roped in her husband Faizan to follow the steps with her
Social media sensation Jannat Mirza also shared her version of the dance challenge. Staying true to her TikTok roots, she chose to focus more on facial expressions than actual dance steps.
Meanwhile, Sid Mr Rapper clearly had no intention to win because these steps aren’t even similar to the original!
Going to a cafe to just shoot a dance challenge? Now that’s dedication from Laiba Khurram that deserves to win the competition!
All of the other influencers also brought their own unique spin to their dance steps.
Taking inspiration from the influencers, fans of the musician also hopped on the bandwagon and hurried to YouTube Shorts to create their best renditions of the dance routine. Hoping, with fingers crossed, that they’d be the ones to get noticed by the Gen-Z superstar.
Out of the hundreds of entries, here are some of our favorites:
On the 7th of October, the hashtag #HasanZongChallenge trended on Twitter for the whole morning. That prompted a whirlwind of replies on the internet, and many individuals felt compelled to weigh in on the campaign as a whole.
While some were excited to compete and convinced that they would win
I firmly feel that a Hasan Raheem shoutout can improve my life, my allergies, and my skin.#HasanZongChallenge
— Umer Vlogger (@Umer_Vlogger) October 4, 2022
Raat ko bhi soty waqt #HasanZongChallenge ky steps yaad ajaty hain 😵💫
— Nabeel (@ZarbeKalim) October 4, 2022
Others were more apprehensive of their ability to perform well
I want to participate in the Hasan Zong Challenge, but I get dizzy just walking to the kitchen.pic.twitter.com/u7XRrRHtx4 #HasanZongChallenge
— Pringles. (@smallybells_) October 7, 2022
My last braincell at 3am trying to remember the #HasanZongChallenge dance moves pic.twitter.com/fguiLllY7V
— Aqib Nadeem (@ChapliKabab) October 7, 2022
People had mostly positive things to say about the challenge and those who participated in it
YouTube shorts pr tou dhoom macha rkhi hai#HasanZongChallenge ny.
— ☕نصـــــــرت سحـــــــــر (@SeharSHasan) October 7, 2022
Mazy k easy dance steps.pic.twitter.com/KZvBnCJ9SA
However, not everyone was thrilled about the concept of the campaign
I just watched the new Zong TVC and I can guarantee you, this is probably the worst Hasan Raheem song. Literally, I want my seconds back which I just wasted on it. https://t.co/eol4jw5HAU
— Daniyal Ahmed (@daniyalahmed24) October 4, 2022
Fans of the artist, on the other hand, were quick to defend him!
The internet has had its say about the dance challenge. Now we sit back, with popcorn in our hands and anticipation in our hearts, waiting with bated breath to see who Hasan Raheem crowns the winner!
