Bombay Eunuch is a provocative documentary film from director Alexandra Shiva about a group of eunuchs in modern India. Called hijras, these are gay men who are voluntarily castrated at age 18 and then live together in a family group. Hijras have a centuries long history and highly esteemed place in Indian culture. They were once thought to be divine. Their blessings were sought and their curses feared. They are seen as neither male nor female, but something in between. In recent decades, they have been reduced to the fringes of society and scorned by many. This deterioration began with the colonization by the British in the 19th century and many now survive through aggressive begging and prostitution. Most of the local shopkeepers from whom they beg give something and see them as harmless. In rural areas some locals have lingering superstitions and do not want to provoke them.

Historically, the life of the hijras is very secretive and it was most unusual that the filmmakers were allowed to follow this family group. It was possible because of the assistance of Deepa Krishnan, a social worker and friend of Meena, who is the spiritual leader and mother of this family. Sweet tempered Krishnan participated evidently believing that the film would help ease the plight and poverty of the hijras. The consent of Meena was also granted by payment of a daily fee from the filmmakers, which is most consistent with her style of leadership in her family.

What began as a gender studies film project shifted focus during the shooting and became a study of the daily struggle of this family to survive. For much of the film, through direct observations, commentary in English by Krishnan and historical background from a Yale University anthropologist, the family is seen as struggling but happy. In the hijras view, they live freely to pursue the fun of dancing, dressing up, bestowing blessings at an occasional wedding and having fun. They share a joy in the basic human connections of their family. One member describes her castration preformed in a hospital. However, we learn that such operations are illegal and probably not performed by a doctor or in a hospital. Another talks about being HIV positive but says he feels fine and prefers not to take the medication prescribed to him.

When the film crew comes back after an eight month break, there has been a crackdown on prostitution. Some of the family is gone, returned in shame to their parents or have left Bombay and are rumored to be dying of AIDS. The party atmosphere is gone. The mood is somber and forlorn. Meena plans to travel to Bhopal to a sort of hijras convention and enthusiastically talks of the huge gathering there that will provide a forum to organize and improve life. When they arrive after an 18-hour train ride, the camera sees a deserted looking building and no one around. We are told that the celibate hijras who are there but remain unseen are furious with Meena for bringing the film crew. The interviews abruptly end and the camera pointed at Meena, the girls or Krishnan is met with silence and cool, averted eyes.

There is as much between the lines in this film as there is in the words of the hijras who speak and the filmmakers who ask the questions. A year after filming was complete, by pure chance, Meena was seen on a BBC television program about methods of collecting debts in India. In the final scene, we see Meena and her girls going from place to place using her determined begging technique to collect debts for others. The film begs answers to unasked questions about the place in any society for those seen as misfits as well as the boundaries of intrusion by outsiders.