During a time of great uncertainty, when it feels as if the world has gone mad, where trust in society, governments, and perhaps even fellow human beings, seems to have gone out the window, what is the use of telling a story? Humor, according to Islamabad-based filmmaker, artist, and lecturer Hamza Baig, is a key ingredient. His upcoming live-action comedy series called The Marblous Four reimagines the game of Five Stones to shed light on the traditions and heritage of his native Pakistan, and speculate on what a homegrown superhero might look like. Rarely played today, the game used to be a crucial way for the Pakistani community to come together. For the series’ first episode, which Baig wrote under the mentorship of British comedian Daliso Chaponda, he decided to revive this once beloved pastime, but with a surreal, comedic twist.
In the imaginary village of “Geetapur,” inspired by present-day Chakwal in the Punjab province of Pakistan, children are born with a set of five stones. The stones are magical and become powerful tools in the hands of animated superheroes, who come to life throughout the film. The game was traditionally played outdoors between competing teams or individuals in a large open space. But now, in the age of technology, with children and adults on their cell phones, the game has increasingly become an activity of the past. Baig demonstrates this through two protagonists played by local boys who, in the pilot’s opening scene, attempt to film an older woman playing with her stones. Mocking the “ancient” tradition, the boys are determined to create an incredible clip to upload on YouTube and gain thousands of followers. But the woman’s stones turn out to have unknown powers, and she beguiles them with her storytelling. “One of my inspirations was to revive Pakistani art and culture,” says Baig. “When I researched, I didn’t find anything on Pakistani games. It’s not archived anywhere. There are no films or stories about the game. Children don’t even know about it.” Just two generations ago, he says, the game of Five Stones was played regularly throughout Pakistan. He wanted to show its importance, how it brought people and the community together. And to do so, he filmed only with amateur actors in the village where he grew up, casting relatives and their neighbors who had no prior acting experience. “They added a unique charm to the film because through them we witness real, present-day Pakistani culture,” he adds.
Baig’s short films, which have garnered awards at various national and international festivals, center on themes of childhood, nostalgia, family, and forgotten traditions. He consistently weaves humor into his otherwise dramatic plots, thereby showing another, lighter side of reality. Baig also works as a lecturer of film in the Mass Communication department at the School of Social Science and Humanities, NUST, Islamabad. “Pakistan has been plagued by economic instability, political instability, religious extremism, and sectarianism,” Baig states. “We’ve always lived in this mess but within this mess is also beauty, and a lot of love. We have learned to navigate the mess with love, and that love is humor.”