Little Thomas Director Kaushal Oza Discusses CBFC Rating, Anurag Kashyap's Involvement, and October 23 Clash

Writer-director Kaushal Oza is bringing innocence back to cinemas with Little Thomas, starring Gulshan Devaiah and Rasika Dugal. Despite its heartwarming premise, the film received a U/A 7+ rating from the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) instead of a 'U' certificate. Oza noted that very few films receive a 'U' rating now due to changing guidelines, and since children under seven naturally attend with adults, the U/A 7+ certification was appropriate.

Discussing how Anurag Kashyap came on board, Oza explained that he initially pitched the script to Ranjan Singh, who loved it. When Ranjan joined Good Bad Films—where Anurag Kashyap is a partner—the company decided to get involved. Oza shared that Kashyap provided creative freedom, telling him to make the film his own way while offering support to get it released.

Before its theatrical release, Little Thomas had a festival run in 2024 with screenings in Melbourne, Toronto, and New York, which helped provide validation and ease the process of securing a theatrical release.

Oza also addressed the crowded theatrical landscape, with Little Thomas releasing on October 23 alongside seven other Hindi films and two international films. Although they were the only film scheduled when they announced the date on September 11, Oza expressed hope in word-of-mouth and urged multiplexes to show patience, stating that word-of-mouth films now take until the third Saturday to pick up momentum.