Al Arabia Cinema and Different Productions Wrap Season 1 of Esaad Younes’ New Travel Series, ‘Lessa Badri’

Al Arabia Cinema and Different Productions announce the successful completion of filming of Season 1 of the new Arabic travel series, "Lessa Badri.” Starring Egyptian producer, presenter, and cultural icon Esaad Younes, the series is set and filmed entirely in Dubai. It marks Esaad’s first long-form travel project in a career spanning more than four decades in front of and behind the camera.

"Lessa Badri," Arabic for "Never Too Late," follows Esaad Younes as she moves beyond the studio to explore Dubai's neighbourhoods, food scenes, and the people who shape the city, from creators and entrepreneurs to chefs and cultural figures. The series blends conversation, humour, and discovery, with a guest list to be revealed closer to launch.

“After more than four decades in front of the camera and behind it, I felt it was time to do something genuinely new. ‘Lessa Badri’ is exactly what its title suggests: a reminder that discovery has no end date. Dubai was the perfect home for Season 1, a city that is constantly reinventing itself, where every street has a story and every encounter teaches you something new, a place where people build, grow, and succeed. Every location we filmed gave me a moment I could never have created in a studio, and I cannot wait for audiences across the Arab world and beyond to travel with me.” Said Esaad Younes, Chairperson of Al Arabia Cinema and star of "Lessa Badri." 

Omar Alkhawaja, Strategic Advisor and Board Member of Al Arabia Cinema, added: "'Lessa Badri' is exactly the kind of bold, modern storytelling Al Arabia Cinema was built to champion. Partnering with Different Productions brought together deep regional expertise and international production standards, and anchoring Season 1 in Dubai gave the series a globally resonant backdrop from the very first frame. This is only the first chapter of a much bigger story between our two companies."

The series is built to scale. Dubai anchors Season 1, but "Lessa Badri" is designed to travel, with future seasons set to take the show to other cities across the region and beyond.

On taking this global, Mazen Laham, Chief Executive Officer of Different Productions, said: " 'Lessa Badri' is the first project in a long-term collaboration with Al Arabia Cinema. The format works because Esaad Younes carries it, and it is built to keep moving, season after season, city after city. Dubai was the right place to start."

The two production houses are in active discussions with regional and global streaming platforms for the exclusive launch of "Lessa Badri" Season 1. The broadcaster, release window, and accompanying rollout will be confirmed in the coming weeks.

Beyond "Lessa Badri," the collaboration between Al Arabia Cinema and Different Productions, initiated by Omar Alkhawaja and Mazen Laham, marks the start of a long-term strategic partnership. The two houses will co-produce a slate of series, entertainment shows, documentaries, and feature films for regional and global audiences, drawing on the combined creative, production, and distribution capabilities of two of MENA's most established media companies.