Goti Lo follows Nilkanthrai Mehta, a lonely village elder in Sundarpur who misses his scattered, screen-addicted family. To lure them home, he cooks up a plan with an imaginary friend named Chandu and stages a traditional games challenge with the ancestral house at stake. As the phones are set aside for street games, the family slowly rediscovers childhood, roots and each other.
Goti Lo is a gentle broadside against the phone in everyone's hand. Directed by Deepak Antani, it builds its story around Nilkanthrai Mehta, an aging widower in the village of Sundarpur who cannot stand how his children and grandchildren have drifted into cities, abroad, and screens. His fix is charmingly analog: invent an imaginary friend, Chandu, put the ancestral home on the line, and challenge the family to win a round of traditional Indian games.
Manoj Joshi carries the film with the kind of warmth that makes even a sentimental premise go down easy. The gully games become the emotional engine, and there is real pleasure in watching gadget-glued adults rediscover marbles, spinning tops and the friends they forgot. Shot in Bamna and across the scenic Sabarkantha district, the film wears its nostalgia and its cultural roots openly, and its release on Rath Yatra suited that festive, homebound mood.
The catch is that Goti Lo underlines its message more than once, and its feel-good arc rarely surprises. Formal critical coverage stayed light, so its strong early IMDb score leans on an enthusiastic audience rather than a wide press verdict. Even so, as a family watch about putting the devices down and picking each other back up, it is warm, well-meant and easy to recommend across generations.
Verdict
A warm, family-first drama that trades screens for street games, carried by Manoj Joshi and best watched across generations.
What works
- Manoj Joshi anchoring as Nilkanthrai
- Warm nostalgia around traditional Indian games
- Scenic Sabarkantha and Bamna locations
- A screen-addiction theme that lands with families
What holds it back
- Sentimental in stretches
- Predictable feel-good arc
- Message underlined more than once
- Slim formal critical coverage
Cast & crew
Writers: Gaurang Bhavsar, Ashok Upadhyaya
Music: Samir Mana
Cast: Manoj Joshi (Nilkanthrai Mehta), Mehul Buch, Manav Rao, Bhavya Sirohi, Makrand Annapurna, Dipen Raval
Producers: Gaurang Bhavsar, Prasand Patel
Watch the trailer
Play the official trailer on YouTubeMore Drama Gujarati films
Frequently asked
Is Goti Lo worth watching?
A warm, family-first drama that trades screens for street games, carried by Manoj Joshi and best watched across generations. Kevu Che rates it 4 out of 5.
What is Goti Lo about?
Goti Lo follows Nilkanthrai Mehta, a lonely village elder in Sundarpur who misses his scattered, screen-addicted family. To lure them home, he cooks up a plan with an imaginary friend named Chandu and stages a traditional games challenge with the ancestral house at stake. As the phones are set aside for street games, the family slowly rediscovers childhood, roots and each other.
What is the IMDb rating of Goti Lo?
Goti Lo (2025) holds an IMDb rating of 9.3 out of 10 from 59 votes.