Each week, people worldwide tune in to the Real Housewives of Dubai for a glimpse of what life in the UAE is like for those in the upper echelon.
But for those yearning to get past the glitz and glam to learn about the multifaceted experience of being an Emirati woman, there is only one representative on the show: Sara Al Madani.
Understandably, that puts a lot of pressure on her but the entrepreneur, 38, was keenly aware of the responsibility that she was putting on her shoulders by signing up for the show. In fact, she welcomed it, she tells The National.
For Al Madani, the reason is simple: she has lived her life unconventionally, constantly and intentionally bucking the expectations of what outsiders expect from women from the Gulf. By doing the show, she hoped to dispel some of those misconceptions so that other Emirati women could forge their own paths more easily.
“That’s what I love about this,” says Al Madani. “I started this show because it is a window to access the West, to show them that all of the stereotypes and misunderstandings they have about the Middle East are wrong. This is not the place they think it is.
“This is not a place of suppressed women. We’re not all put in a room to leave our dreams dead on our pillows. We’re so much more, and I’m glad the West finally gets to see that – I view this show as a marketing tool for the country and its people.”
Al Madani, however, does not think she alone can represent the totality of what it means to be an Emirati woman. In her mind, that’s something that would be impossible for any one person to do. Rather, she believes that by being herself, she is encouraging others to do the same – exemplifying that diversity of spirit is what makes her country special.
“I love being authentic and being an individual with my own personality. I think that’s how everyone should be,” she says. “I respect our Emirati culture so much, but I also believe that culture is a box of chocolates. We can each celebrate different aspects that we embrace individually.
“It’s a big responsibility, but I’m comfortable in this because I don’t represent anybody but myself.”
Nevertheless, there are many times on the show in which she assumes the role of ambassador for her culture, not for the audience, but for her fellow cast members. As the other leads are not originally from the UAE, she often finds herself having to explain Emirati customs.
“In both season one and season two, I do a lot to teach people about culture – and it re-enforces my love of this culture,” she says.
She also finds herself taking the role of the show’s mental health and wellness ambassador, an area she takes a keen interest in as part of her healing journey and getting older. Off camera, as she has seen the reaction to the show come in, this is something that has proven quite useful.
“When it comes to backlash, the person who gets the most reaction is me, as I’m the only Emirati on this show," she says. "I’m so thankful that I’ve spent years doing inner work and focusing on my mental health so that these things don’t faze me.”
While The Real Housewives of Dubai, which is currently airing its second season on OSN+ in the Middle East, began in 2022, it is far from the first show in the franchise’s long history.
The first show in the series is Real Housewives of Orange County, which had its premiere in 2006 and is still running on Bravo, the television channel that also airs its Dubai counterpart in the US. In total, the series has spawned 27 spin-offs, 10 of which are Real Housewives instalments.
Though many iterations have attracted criticism for not properly representing the city they’re based in, the shows have a cult-like following and many of its stars are beloved by their franchise, despite (or, in some cases, because of) messy or dramatic on-screen personas.
Why do people gravitate towards the stars of these shows? In Al Madani’s view, it is authenticity that creates a great Real Housewives star. The more honest a person is in front of the camera, the more audiences will respond to them.
“Audiences see through it all. They’re very smart. When someone is not being authentic, they can smell that right away,” says Al Madani. “In this industry, some people try to turn themselves into a TV product, but that’s sad because it’s not what audiences want. To be successful, be yourself. Even if you’re the most toxic person ever, be yourself."
When the first season went into production, Al Madani had a hard time being natural.
“It’s not easy. You’re sitting on location with 30 to 40 crew members, and they’re all watching you, with cameras everywhere," she says. "Your subconscious mind becomes alert. But in season two, we were so comfortable.
“Honestly, there’s more madness because people are being themselves. People always ask me, is this scripted? But it’s not – it’s reality. Some of my friends are just really crazy.
“If a fight happens, producers will sometimes come calm everyone down, but trust me, on Real Housewives of Dubai, these girls are their own producers. We’re taking it one step at a time, and everyone just has to live their lives completely emotionally naked in front of a camera.”
While the show has grown globally, Al Madani does not feel that the experience has changed her. As she joined the show with a lot of life experience, having been a serial entrepreneur and life coach, she feels prepared to weather the attention that the show has brought and only become more herself as a result.
“It will take me more than 30 seasons of this show to change who I am," she says. "I’ve worked so hard on this – this is solid. Who I am is completely solid."
The Real Housewives of Dubai airs weekly on OSN+
