Little Thomas

These are not children talking naturally; these are tykes tasked with speaking out rehearsed lines. Which is a pity, because the young actors are all good. And the same sort of stilted tone besets Thomas's folks: Devaiah as the straight-arrow bakery owner, honest to the point that he won't even charge an extra rupee for cooling drinks in their newly-bought fridge, and Dugal as the supportive wife-and-mom, do their best, but their squabbles are just not interesting enough.

Despite its occasionally patchy segments and a somewhat self-satisfied rhythm, the Gulshan Devaiah-Rasika Dugal film neatly comes together in the second half. Despite all its flaws, Little Thomas is also a sweet, heartwarming reminder of how we need more quiet and melody in our lives instead of the relentless chase of the adrenaline.

This is a lovely children's film that allows its young protagonist to be just that—a child, full of questions, dreams and innocent beliefs. A sweet little ode to simpler times, slow living and the fleeting magic of childhood.

The story topples under the weight of its own cuteness, forgetting that an adorable child can only take you so far. You need a good story and a tight screenplay to keep the audience invested. The film never quite digs deep enough into the emotional consequences of the conflict, and the result is a film that entertains you in patches but never quite tightens its grip on your heart.

Little Thomas may have its heart in the right place, but its storytelling never quite catches up with its intentions. The direction leans heavily on cuteness without building enough emotional depth beneath it, and the film remains so busy trying to make things cute and lightweight that it forgets to make the emotional journey convincing.

One reason not to skip the film 'Little Thomas' is the child artist Hridansh Parekh's innocence. On the other hand, there are many other reasons to skip the film!