Kangana Ranaut’s Mental Hai Kya lands in trouble, Indian Psychiatry Society demands title change

Mental Hai Kya, starring Rajkummar Rao and Kangana Ranaut, has landed into a controversy over its title. The Indian Psychiatry Society has objected to the title and have written to the filmmakers to remove it with immediate effect. They have asserted that the film’s title is discriminating and stigmatizing towards people facing mental health issues.

The makers had recently released a new poster showing Kangana and Rajkummar balancing a razor blade on their tongues. The makers have already released quite a few quirky posters showing the two lead actors in weird postures, playing with dangerous objects.

The committee has written in their letter to the Censor Board of Film Certification (CBFC), “We take serious objections to the title of the movie which is discriminative, stigmatising, degrading, inhumane in projecting mental disorders and people who suffer from mental disorders.”

The protest is now official against #MentalHaiKya with the Indian Psychiatric Society writing to Censor Board protesting the images and teasers which depict #mentalillness in poor light..@balajimotionpic please clarify pic.twitter.com/lrIku3ccTd

— Dr Milan B (@milantheshrink) April 19, 2019

Get ready for craziness that cuts through. #MentalHaiKya - releasing on 21st June 2019. #MentalHaiKyaOn21stJune#KanganaRanaut @RajkummarRao @ektaravikapoor @RuchikaaKapoor @ShaaileshRSingh @pkovelamudi @KanikaDhillon @KanganaFanClub pic.twitter.com/yZYoW35Ee4

— BalajiMotionPictures (@balajimotionpic) April 17, 2019

The society has also written, “We strongly demand that the title be removed with immediate effect preventing further damage to the modesty of mental health service users. We also demand to censor any sequence in the movie that is violating the rights of persons with mental disorder.”

A few users on Twitter also called out the film for its title and concept. A user wrote, “The experience of dealing with #MentalHaiKya brings home the fact how deep rooted stigma against mental illness is and how long the multidimensional fight it is going to be to make India inclusive for Mentally Ill. It is real long war to be fought by millions.” Another tweeted, “Not just the title which is incredibly insulting- but also what’s with the graphics? Is that blade supposed to be a joke? Is #Mentalhealth trivial enough to make frivolous film posters on it? Classic case of #Bollywood being ignorant/ regressive #mentalhaikya- shame.” One more user wrote on Twitter, “Those #MentalHaiKya posters are ridiculous. So triggering for people who are vulnerable to self harm. Bollywood has no sense of responsibility.”

The experience of dealing with #MentalHaiKya brings home the fact how deep rooted stigma against mental I'llness is and how long the multidimensional fight it is going to be to make India inclusive for Mentally I'll. It is real long war to be fought by millions

— cAkhileshwar Sahay (@akhileshlinky) April 19, 2019

Not just the title which is incredibly insulting- but also what’s with the graphics? Is that blade supposed to be a joke? Is #Mentalhealth trivial enough to make frivolous film posters on it? Classic case of #Bollywood being ignorant/ regressive #mentalhaikya- shame https://t.co/qoPFcmdGzs

— angryglittergirl (@angryglittergi1) April 19, 2019

Those #MentalHaiKya posters are ridiculous. So triggering for people who are vulnerable to self harm. Bollywood has no sense of responsibility.

— Swetha 🌻 (@rantassaurus) April 19, 2019

Directed by Prakash Kovelamudi, Mental Hai Kya also stars Jimmy Shergill, Amyra Dastur, Satish Kaushik and Amrita Puri. The film is scheduled to release on June 21.

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First Published: Apr 19, 2019 16:27 IST