Mangalmukhi- The Third Gender(2023)
A documentary that is the story of the lives of eunuchs. Kinnar who are also known as Hijra in the society. As soon as they are born, they are cursed to hear the criticism and taunts of society, whereas according to their belief, they had received the boon of congratulation in auspicious works from Lord Rama himself. That is why this community was also called Mangalmukhi. This community is found in every city, but still, no city accepts them as its own. This film travels to the world of transgenders along with the Kinnar community. Today this community has also been legally recognized as transgender. Today, many members of this community are moving away from the traditional Toli-Badhaai work and are also earning names in the professions of modeling, acting, medicine, and advocacy.
Quick Facts
- Theatrical Release
- 30 September 2023
- Director
- Shailendra Pandey
- Language
- Hindi
- Runtime
- 41m
Storyline
This documentary explores the lives of the Kinnar community, also known as Hijras or transgenders. Despite a belief that they were blessed by Lord Rama, they face social rejection and taunts. The film shows how some members are now moving beyond traditional begging and blessing ceremonies to build careers in fields like law, medicine, and modeling.
“Unveiling the hidden world of India's transgender community.”
Film Details
Parental Guide
Vibe & Tags
Cast & Crew
Trivia
- The film's title 'Mangalmukhi' refers to a traditional blessing role that some transgender communities in India have historically held.
- Director Shailendra Pandey has focused his filmmaking career primarily on documentaries about social issues and marginalized communities.
- The documentary includes interviews with transgender individuals who work as models, doctors, and lawyers, not just in traditional roles.
- It references the mythological story where Lord Rama is said to have blessed the community, which is a significant part of their cultural identity.
- The film was released after India's 2014 Supreme Court ruling legally recognizing transgender people as a third gender.
- Unlike many mainstream Hindi films, this documentary did not have a theatrical wide release and was likely showcased at festivals or on digital platforms.
- The filming involved traveling to different parts of India to document the diverse experiences within the transgender community.