In a drought-hit Gujarat village buried in debt to a cooperative bank, a sharp schoolteacher named Prakash Mistry hatches a plan to rob the bank that has bled the farmers dry. When the men of the village back out, seven women and an elderly man step forward to pull off the heist themselves. What follows is a comic, twist-filled caper as a politician, a TV reporter and the local police all scramble to catch the culprits.
Chaniya Toli takes the money-heist template and drops it into a parched, debt-ridden Gujarat village, then lets the women do what the men are too scared to try. Yash Soni plays Prakash Mistry, an unassuming schoolteacher in plain spectacles who cooks up a plan to rob the very cooperative bank that has drowned the farmers in loans. His own motives are less than noble, which is part of the fun. When the village men slip away to avoid the risk, seven women and one old man take charge, and the film turns into a rustic caper stuffed with wit, courage and a streak of madness.
Directed and written by Jay Bodas and Parth Trivedi with Pratiksinh Chavda, the film leans hard on its ensemble. Netri Trivedi, playing a squint-eyed girl, walks away with the biggest laughs, from a chaotic clothes-shopping trip to a training scene where she somehow hits every target. DeshGujarat called it a fun one-time watch that delivers about half a dozen laugh-out-loud moments and does not ask to be overthought. The second half widens the net with a politician, a reporter and bickering policemen, keeping the mood light even when the plotting turns dark.
The film is not flawless. The pacing sags in places and the logic is best left at the door, since this is entertainment first and social comment a distant second. Even so, audiences turned it into the highest opening-day earner in Gujarati cinema and a genuine box office hit, with worldwide collections climbing past 21 crore. Shot in Sunav village near Anand, it captures village life under a hard summer sun and proves a small, sincere story can still fill theatres.
Verdict
A breezy women-led heist comedy that trades logic for laughs and became a record-breaking Gujarati box office hit.
What works
- Netri Trivedi's scene-stealing squint-eyed comic turn
- A fresh women-led heist premise for Gujarati cinema
- Genuine laugh-out-loud set pieces
- Warm, authentic rural Gujarat texture
What holds it back
- Pacing sags in stretches
- Logic takes a back seat to the gags
- Social angle stays thin
- Second half gets crowded with subplots
Cast & crew
Writers: Jay Bodas, Parth Trivedi, Pratiksinh Chavda
Music: Kedar & Bhargav
Cast: Yash Soni (Prakash Mistry, a teacher), Ragi Jani (Peshawar), Netri Trivedi (Naina), Heena Varde, Chetan Daiya (MLA), Maulik Nayak (Reporter), Janki Bodiwala (Special appearance in the song Popat)
Producers: Anand Pandit, Vaishal Shah
Watch the trailer
Play the official trailer on YouTubeMore from Jay Bodas, Parth Trivedi
More Comedy Gujarati films
Frequently asked
Is Chaniya Toli worth watching?
A breezy women-led heist comedy that trades logic for laughs and became a record-breaking Gujarati box office hit. Kevu Che rates it 3.5 out of 5.
What is Chaniya Toli about?
In a drought-hit Gujarat village buried in debt to a cooperative bank, a sharp schoolteacher named Prakash Mistry hatches a plan to rob the bank that has bled the farmers dry. When the men of the village back out, seven women and an elderly man step forward to pull off the heist themselves. What follows is a comic, twist-filled caper as a politician, a TV reporter and the local police all scramble to catch the culprits.
What is the IMDb rating of Chaniya Toli?
Chaniya Toli (2025) holds an IMDb rating of 7.3 out of 10.