Indian Psychiatric Society demands change in Mental Hai Kya title, calls posters 'atrocious and insensitive'

On 17 April, a new poster of Ekta Kapoor-produced Mental Hai Kya was released on social media. The quirky poster showed the lead actors Kangana Ranaut and Rajkummar Rao balancing an iron blade on the tips of their tongues.

While the film posters were welcomed by fans, the title of the film Mental Hai Kya has sparked up controversy. Mental health experts in India have termed it as atrocious and insensitive towards people who are actually suffering from mental health issues.

The Indian Psychiatric Society filed an official complaint to Prasoon Joshi, chairperson of the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC), demanding an explanation on the posters and how the movie chooses to represent mental health.

Indian Psychiatric Society has officially now asked an explanation for the posters and how the movie is choosing to symbolically represent mental illness. This is a huge step. pic.twitter.com/aRtWBj27zb

— Sonali Gupta (@guptasonali) April 19, 2019

The letter demands the removal of title, Mental Hai Kya, with immediate effect. The committee further writes, "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." It also shed light on the Mental Health Care act 2017 and claimed that the movie violates the section, further inviting legal action. Clinical Psychologists have took to social media and expressed their concerns. They have begun an online campaign, demanding the producer and director to change the name of the movie, where according to them, the word ‘mental’ stigmatises mental illness.

This is atrocious and should be stopped @TLLLFoundation @mentalhealthind https://t.co/H6igmYYPzL — Soumitra Pathare (@netshrink) April 17, 2019

"The poster begins with the message 'This June, witness two mentals collide'. Then it shows a cross-eyed Ranaut (yep, really) & @RajkummarRao showing us the middle finger."
Both the film title 'Mental hai kya' & the poster are pathetic!
Withdraw it NOW!
https://t.co/zMUVvVWGYa

— Soumitra Pathare (@netshrink) April 18, 2019

https://t.co/A7pntAHPDD

*'Mental hai kya' : Sensational & STIGMA MULTIPLIES ?*

*The title, 'Mental hai kya', is provocative and in my opinion alarming. It appears funny and deriding of the mentally ill. @narendramodi @SrBachchan@aamir_khan@iHrithik @rashtrapatibhvn pic.twitter.com/gdhOTDPSsu

— HARISH SHETTY (@DrHarish139) April 18, 2019

What are you propagating @pkovelamudi in #MentalHaiKya? #MentalHealth is still a huge issue in India & your promos are reinforcing the stereotype. Do read about #MHCAct2017 @RajkummarRao @ektaravikapoor@RuchikaaKapoor @ShaaileshRSingh @KanikaDhillon be4 releasing on21stJune pic.twitter.com/1op5LbjluM — Dr Satendra Singh, MD (@drsitu) April 17, 2019