Indian author Anurag Kashyap returns to the children’s film genre with his latest production, “Little Thomas.”

The comedy-drama, which marks Kaushal Oza’s feature film directorial debut, is scheduled to have its world premiere at the Indian Film Festival of Melbourne (IFFM).

Starring Gulshan Devaiah and Rasika Duggal, alongside child actor Hridansh Parekh, “Little Thomas” marks Kashyap’s first foray into children’s cinema since his 2007 animated directorial project “Return of Hanuman.”

Set in Goa in the 1990s, the film follows a seven-year-old boy’s attempts to reunite his feuding parents in the hope of having a baby brother. Kashyap, known for hard-hitting films like “Gangs of Wasseypur” and “Ugly,” was drawn to Oza’s vision of creating an authentic children’s film from a child’s perspective.

“It’s really a difficult genre to do, to make an authentic children’s film,” Kashyap said. “So you have to make sure that the script is good before you make it.”

Devaiah, who has previously worked with Kashyap in “That Girl in Yellow Boots” and “Shaitan”, described “Little Thomas” as a “sweet and tender film”. Duggal praised the script for its “interesting sense of humour” and commitment to storytelling without unnecessary embellishments.

Oza, an alumnus of the Film and Television Institute of India (FTII), revealed that over 700 children participated in auditions to cast Thomas and Friends. The film is produced by Luminoso Pictures, Civic Studios, Flip Films and Kashyap’s Good Bad Films.

Anushka Shah, producer at Civic Studios, called “Little Thomas” a “refreshing and charming story.” She added, “Thomas’ boundless imagination, curiosity and resilience could positively shape the mindset of children in their formative years, an important reason for Civic Studios to back this film.”

Producer Ranjan Singh of Flip Films, who previously co-produced Oza’s short film “The Miniaturist of Junagadh,” said he decided to produce “Little Thomas” after reading the script in 2018 and finding it to be a “genuine children’s film.”

“Little Thomas” also stars Hridyansh Gokani, Ninad Pandith and Mahabanoo Mody-Kotwal. After its festival run, the film is expected to release in Indian theatres.

IFFM opens on August 15 with the anthology film “My Melbourne,” by directors Rima Das, Onir, Imtiaz Ali and Kabir Khan, and closes on August 25 with the Sundance Award-winning “Girls Will Be Girls,” by Shuchi Talati.