‘Cinema for all must include children too,’ says Rasika Dugal ahead of Little Thomas

After the success of Mirzapur: The Movie, Rasika Dugal will be next seen in a completely different genre. Rasika will be seen in a children’s film called Little Thomas. The actress recently spoke about the need for stories that speak to young audiences.

In conversations about inclusive cinema, the focus is often on representation, diverse stories and reaching wider audiences. But one audience that rarely gets enough attention is children. Actor Rasika Dugal believes that children deserve films made specifically for them, stories that entertain them while giving them the freedom to question, imagine and understand the world around them.

Directed by Kaushal Oza, the film tells the story of Thomas, a curious young boy whose questions about where babies come from and his wish for a sibling become central to the narrative. Playing Jessie Miranda, Rasika is part of a story that looks at the world through a child’s eyes and the often-unexpected conversations that emerge from childhood curiosity.

Talking about the need for more children’s films, Rasika Dugal says, “Cinema is a wonderful way to expand your world and fuel your imagination. Many of the thoughts and ideas we have as adults can be traced back to the films we watched growing up. We therefore need films that children can relate to — films that embrace their curiosity rather than dismiss it. Children’s cinema can be entertaining without being frivolous and meaningful without becoming preachy. I would love to see more filmmakers explore stories that children can enjoy and that open up new possibilities for their imagination.”

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Little Thomas brings this perspective to the screen through a familiar family situation that grows out of a child’s innocent insistence on finding answers. Rather than treating his questions as trivial, the film makes them an integral part of its storytelling, opening up conversations about childhood, family and how adults communicate with children.

Little Thomas also stars Gulshan Devaiah in the lead.