Actresses Neena Gupta and Soni Razdan recently took center stage as storytellers at The Little Festival during the Mumbai LitFest 2025, enchanting young readers with engaging and educational storytelling sessions. The “Toothy Tales” session featured a bilingual read-aloud of the book One, Two, Three, Sumon is Free, co-authored by Shalini Pradhan and Rashmi Mehta, blending music, humor, and interactive learning to teach children about oral health.
Neena Gupta, known for her evergreen charm, narrated parts of the story and shared a fun habit for kids: “You should brush your teeth until you sing the birthday song thrice, and don’t forget to eat your greens and dairy!” Speaking about her experience, she added, “It's great to see what The Mumbai LitFest is doing, and everyone should definitely visit and experience these wonderful sessions.”
Soni Razdan also joined the session, emphasizing the importance of guiding children through healthy habits. She explained, “Kids eat a lot of sugar, and they need to be educated about its implications in a fun way.” On children’s early exposure to social media, she noted, “These days, kids are introduced to technology and social media at a very young age, however, parents are getting conscious about this now. It’s our duty to help them develop the habit of reading, as that’s how their imagination grows. Books are a beautiful mix of entertainment, education, and creativity.”
The interactive storytelling session brought to life characters like Sumon and Dr. Save You, illustrating the battle against the “sugar monster” in an imaginative and playful way. The session creatively explained the addictive nature of sugar while blending humor and music, delighting both children and parents alike. Neena and Soni’s narration added warmth and relatability, making the learning experience fun and memorable.
The Little Festival, presented in collaboration with the HT Parekh Foundation, actively promotes joyful reading for children aged 8 to 13 through workshops, tree walks, performances, and other hands-on activities under its Doorbeen initiative. This year’s edition focused on inclusion and accessibility, continuing to nurture a love for stories while inspiring young readers to explore imagination, creativity, and learning in equal measure.