Little Thomas Review: Hridansh Parekh Shines, Story Stays Light

Kaushal Oza’s Little Thomas has a premise that sounds like a warm family hug. Set in 1990s Goa, it follows seven-year-old Thomas, a boy with one simple wish: a baby brother. In his logic, the route to a sibling begins with his parents kissing properly, like in an English film. The problem is that Jessie (Rasika Dugal) and Desmond (Gulshan Devaiah) are too busy arguing to play along. The family bakery is struggling, the marriage is shaky, and Thomas is left to investigate where babies come from on his own.

The charm is real

Hridansh Parekh, who plays Thomas, is the film’s brightest discovery. He brings a twinkly-eyed, toothy earnestness that makes the boy’s questions feel endearing rather than precocious. When Thomas asks about his origins, Desmond tells him he came from Malaysia because his T-shirt says “Made in Malaysia.” It is exactly the kind of desperate, ridiculous answer parents invent on the spot, and the film is at its best when it leans into that unpredictable childhood logic.

The 1990s Goa setting adds texture. Refrigerators are still a luxury, cold drinks are becoming more accessible, and even cooling charges turn into a negotiation between shopkeepers and customers. The casual Goan expressions in the dialogue make the world feel lived-in.

Why the cake topples

As India Today’s review puts it, the story “topples under the weight of its own cuteness.” There are plenty of sweet moments, but the screenplay keeps returning to the child’s adorableness instead of moving the story forward. What could have been a layered family drama remains on the surface, and some of Thomas’s encounters with friends feel manufactured rather than organic.

That is a shame because the central idea is genuinely moving. Children often absorb the tension between unhappy parents without fully understanding it. Thomas’s belief that a kiss can bring his family together is both sweet and quietly heartbreaking. Yet the film rarely lets that discomfort settle. The fights hint at loneliness, but the narrative does not dig deep enough into the emotional consequences.

Performances keep it afloat

The grown-ups do a lot of heavy lifting. Rasika Dugal makes Jessie feel like a real woman caught between keeping her family afloat and losing her own dreams. Gulshan Devaiah brings warmth to Desmond without turning him into a careless-husband caricature. Together, they make the strained marriage believable even when the script shortchanges them.

If you are deciding whether to watch, here is the quick take:

• Watch it for: Hridansh Parekh’s star-making charm, the 1990s Goa nostalgia, and two likeable lead performances.
• Keep expectations measured for: emotional depth, narrative momentum, and a screenplay that matches its premise.

Source: India Today