Tino, a boy from a poor village in Gujarat, dreams of seeing Ahmedabad after older children fill his head with tales of the city. When his school plans a trip he cannot afford, his family's circumstances force him to stay behind while his friends set off. Directed by Vipul Sharma, the film turns a small childhood heartbreak into a tender journey about hope, longing and dignity.
Pravas is the rare Gujarati release that made its name on the festival circuit long before it reached a multiplex. Director Vipul Sharma tells the story of Tino, a village boy who longs to see Ahmedabad after older kids fill his head with stories, only to be left behind when the school trip he cannot afford goes ahead without him. Out of that small, ordinary heartbreak the film builds a tender study of childhood longing, family pride and the quiet weight of poverty.
The film's credentials are real and unusual for a regional children's film. It travelled to more than seventy international festivals and won the Badal Rahman Award for Best Children's Film at the 22nd Dhaka International Film Festival, handed out in the presence of Iranian master Majid Majidi and Sharmila Tagore. Young Vishal Thakkar, who carries the film as Tino, later took a Best Child Actor prize, and his unforced performance is the reason the emotion never tips into manipulation. Around him, Jay Pandya and Komal Panchal ground the family in something recognisably ordinary.
That festival pedigree helps explain the glowing 9.6 it holds from early IMDb voters, though the sample is small and skews toward viewers who sought it out, so the number is best read as enthusiasm rather than a settled consensus. Reaching cinemas only in November 2025 after its long festival run, the film arrives with expectations already set high. Watched on its own terms, Pravas is a modest, humane film in the Majidi tradition, more interested in a child's inner world than in spectacle, and content to let a single missed trip stand in for larger truths about want and hope. For anyone who believes Gujarati cinema can do quiet and sincere as well as it does mass entertainment, this is a heartening watch.
Verdict
A humane, festival-decorated children's film in the Majidi mould. Small in scale but sincere, and anchored by a genuinely moving child lead.
What works
- Vishal Thakkar's award-winning child performance
- Humane, festival-honed storytelling
- Emotion earned, never forced
- A rare regional children's film with global reach
What holds it back
- Small, self-selecting rating pool
- Modest, unshowy scale
- Slow pace for mainstream viewers
- Limited theatrical footprint
Cast & crew
Writers: Vipul Sharma
Cast: Vishal Thakkar (Tino), Jay Pandya (Hari), Komal Panchal (Lakshmi), Nishma Soni (Sapna), Pranshu Shah (Bachudiyo)
Producers: Jay Pandya, Rakesh Shah
Watch the trailer
Play the official trailer on YouTubeMore from Vipul Sharma
More Drama Gujarati films
Frequently asked
Is Pravas worth watching?
A humane, festival-decorated children's film in the Majidi mould. Small in scale but sincere, and anchored by a genuinely moving child lead. Kevu Che rates it 4 out of 5.
What is Pravas about?
Tino, a boy from a poor village in Gujarat, dreams of seeing Ahmedabad after older children fill his head with tales of the city. When his school plans a trip he cannot afford, his family's circumstances force him to stay behind while his friends set off. Directed by Vipul Sharma, the film turns a small childhood heartbreak into a tender journey about hope, longing and dignity.
What is the IMDb rating of Pravas?
Pravas (2025) holds an IMDb rating of 9.6 out of 10.