Love, lies, and heartbreak: Hurts Harder premieres soon

By William J. Niyitegeka
June 29, 2025
10:14 am

Zacu TV, a platform in promoting Rwandan cinema, is preparing to launch its latest original series titled Hurts Harder, a powerful love drama that delves into deception, emotional trauma, and the search for true love.

The 50-episode series, with each episode running 26 minutes, will premiere on July 7, 2025, airing every Monday to Friday at 7:00 PM, with a repeat at 9:30 PM.

At the heart of Hurts Harder is the story of Kate, a 27-year-old woman full of love and optimism. Despite repeated heartbreaks and betrayals in past relationships, she remains hopeful that one day she will find genuine love.

Her life takes a dramatic turn when she meets Tate, a 28-year-old man working in Uganda. They connect through social media and build a virtual relationship over two years without ever meeting in person. Unknown to Kate, everything she believed about Tate is based on a lie.

Tate, despite having a good job and financial stability, struggles with self-esteem issues. He believes no woman would accept him for who he truly is due to his height and lack of fashion sense. Haunted by past rejections, he decides to hide his real identity and uses photos of another man he finds on Instagram — Marvin — to represent himself.

When Kate insists on meeting face-to-face, Tate panics. In desperation, he approaches Marvin, a 26-year-old Instagram personality known for his attractive looks but struggling with poverty in real life. Tate offers him money and promises monthly payments to impersonate him in real life.

Initially motivated by the money, Marvin plays along, but over time, he genuinely falls for Kate. Living a lie becomes unbearable, and Marvin finds himself torn between love and loyalty to the deceitful agreement.

As the story unfolds, Kate begins to notice inconsistencies between the man she knew online and the man she meets in person. Her growing suspicions lead her to uncover the devastating truth behind the fake identity.

The revelation sends Kate into emotional turmoil, forcing her to question why someone she loved could not trust her enough to show his real self. Her close friends, Sasha and Olga, try to support her, each dealing with their own complex emotional struggles. Sasha, blunt and skeptical about love, encourages Kate to stop chasing an illusion, while Olga, though gentle and comforting, secretly suffers from unrequited love for a man who is in love with Sasha.

Watch official trailer….

Hurts Harder is written and directed by Yves Mizero (Wayeem) under Cinedopest Productions and produced by Zacu Entertainment.

The cast includes some of Rwanda’s most recognized talents: Irakoze Ariane Vanessa as Kate, Shemaryimanzi Dywane Emmy as Tate, Shami Angelo as Marvin, Irakoze Eliane as Olga, and Iradukunda Nadine as Sasha.

This new series is expected to captivate audiences with its emotionally charged plot, high production quality, and deep exploration of love, identity, and vulnerability in the digital age.