Naankhatai is a Gujarati anthology built from three parallel stories about ordinary people chasing quiet dreams. One follows a married couple, Raghuvirsinh and Seetaba, searching for a home of their own, another a strained father and son, Mahadev and Surya, healed by an unspoken love, and the third the unresolved ache between Ram and Maithili. Across the threads the film explores how families hold together through silence, sacrifice and the acceptance of reality over lavish dreams.
Naankhatai is an anthology, three parallel stories about ordinary people holding on to quiet dreams, and it is one of the more ambitious structural swings in 2025 Gujarati cinema. One thread follows a married couple, Raghuvirsinh and Seetaba, chasing a home of their own, another traces a strained father and son, Mahadev and Surya, learning to say what they never could, and the third sits with the unfinished ache between Ram and Maithili. Director Preetsinh Gohil, who also wrote it, lets the three run side by side rather than forcing them to converge.
The casting is the film's calling card. Mitra Gadhvi anchors his segment with a breakdown scene that viewers pointed to as the film's high, Esha Kansara turns in some of her finest recent work, and Hiten Kumar and Deeksha Joshi lend the ensemble weight. Siddharth Amit Bhavsar's score, especially the track Meghli Saanjh, gives the quieter passages room to breathe. The film holds a 7.8 on IMDb, a warm number even on a small vote base, which tracks with the affection it drew from the audiences that found it.
The catch is that very few did. Naankhatai got thin showtimes and sparse houses, and its box office closed around twelve lakh, a shame for a film this earnest about family, silence and the gap between what people dream and what they settle for. At two hours and forty minutes it asks for patience, and the anthology form means one thread will always land softer than the others. Still, for anyone who values sincerity over spectacle, it is a rewarding watch.
Verdict
A sincere, well-acted anthology about family and quiet dreams that deserved a bigger audience than it got.
What works
- Ambitious three-story anthology structure
- Strong ensemble, Mitra Gadhvi and Esha Kansara stand out
- Warm 7.8 IMDb from the audiences that found it
- Siddharth Amit Bhavsar's evocative score
What holds it back
- Very limited release, sparse houses
- Long at 2h 40m
- One thread lands softer than the others
- Low box office, around 12 lakh
Cast & crew
Writers: Preetsinh Gohil
Music: Siddharth Amit Bhavsar
Cast: Mitra Gadhvi (Raghuvirsinh), Deeksha Joshi (Seetaba), Hiten Kumar (Mahadev), Mayur Chauhan (Surya), Tatsat Munshi (Ram), Esha Kansara (Maithili)
Producers: Hriday Shukla, Gaurav R. Shukla
Watch the trailer
Play the official trailer on YouTubeMore from Preetsinh Gohil
More Comedy Gujarati films
Frequently asked
Is Naankhatai worth watching?
A sincere, well-acted anthology about family and quiet dreams that deserved a bigger audience than it got. Kevu Che rates it 3.5 out of 5.
What is Naankhatai about?
Naankhatai is a Gujarati anthology built from three parallel stories about ordinary people chasing quiet dreams. One follows a married couple, Raghuvirsinh and Seetaba, searching for a home of their own, another a strained father and son, Mahadev and Surya, healed by an unspoken love, and the third the unresolved ache between Ram and Maithili. Across the threads the film explores how families hold together through silence, sacrifice and the acceptance of reality over lavish dreams.
What is the IMDb rating of Naankhatai?
Naankhatai (2025) holds an IMDb rating of 7.8 out of 10 from 63 votes.