Kangana Ranaut and Rajkummar Rao’s upcoming film Mental Hai Kya has faced backlash because of its title, which some feel shows mental illness in a poor light. According to reports, this is the reason the film’s trailer, which was scheduled for 19 June, has been postponed.
In April, the Indian Psychiatric Society (IPS) sent a letter to the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) demanding the removal of the title of the film which they termed “discriminative, stigmatising, degrading and inhuman in projecting mental disorders and persons who suffer from mental disorders.” They also alleged that the film appears to violate many sections of the Mental Health Care Act, 2017 and filed a PIL at the Gujarat High Court.
Mid-day reports that the producers have submitted the Mental Hai Kya trailer for review. The CBFC has called for a meeting between the IPS and the makers of the film to determine further course of action.
The CBFC’s advocate Kshitij Amin told the publication, "The producers submitted the trailer to the CBFC on June 11. The governing body [CBFC here] has decided to call for a meeting between the petitioner and the applicant. They will watch the trailer and decide further course of action. Since the discussion is likely to take place today, the court has adjourned the matter to next week.”
The producers of Mental Hai Kya, Ekta Kapoor’s Balaji Motion Pictures, have issued a statement in response to the IPS’s allegations saying that the film is “a fictional thriller genre feature film meant to entertain audiences and it does not offend, discriminate or disregard any person.” It is “in no way intended to hurt anyone’s sentiments,” they maintained.
Mental Hai Kya has been written by Kanika Dhillon and helmed by National award-winning director Prakash Kovelamudi. It brings together Kangana Ranaut and Rajkummar Rao for the second time after 2013’s Queen.
(At The Quint, we are answerable only to our audience. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member. Because the truth is worth it.)