Entertainment / Happy to do it: Kangana as CBFC orders 'Mental Hai Kya' title change

After defending their film’s title for weeks, the makers of Mental Hai Kya finally gave in to Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) orders to change it. The film’s lead actor, Kangana Ranaut told the media on Thursday that the film’s title will be ‘tweaked’ to accommodate the CBFC’s orders.

“Well there will be a mild, small change in the title of the film because they find it a bit too harsh. So we are more than happy to do that and other than that, there are absolutely no cuts. They were thrilled to see the film,” she said. The film came under fire from several medical associations and mental health organisations for its ‘derogatory’ title.

The Indian Medical Association, along with the Indian Psychiatric Society and Deepika Padukone’s The Live Love Laugh Foundation, appealed to the film’s makers to withdraw the teasers and revise the title and content too if it has any such provocative sequence, dialogue or song, read a statement in April.“The title Mental Hai Kya? is clearly derogatory to people fighting with their mental maladies. It is sarcastic and ridicules persons in pain. The best term to describe the sufferers is a person with mental illness.”

“This term clearly communicates that mental illness is not a criterion to reject a person as a whole. The fact is that this sensational imagination is a perfect example of pathological risk taking behaviour. But the title of the film loudly ridicules persons with mental illness which is not only unethical and inhuman but also illegal,” Santanu Sen, National President, IMA, said in a statement.

The makers denied that the film discriminates against people battling mental health issues and in fact encourages the audience to “embrace their individuality”. “The makers of the film, believe that their movie - Mental Hai Kya will encourage people to embrace their individuality and distinctiveness. Mental Hai Kya starring Kangana Ranaut and Rajkummar Rao marks the coming together of some of the most talented and responsible media personalities, who in no way intend to hurt anyone’s sentiments,” the statement read.

Film’s producer Ekta Kapoor recently said the film’s title doesn’t intend to offend or disregard anyone’s sentiments. “The film in no way marginalises the mental health community and the title of our film doesn’t intend to offend or disregard anyone’s sentiments. It’s a film that makes a larger point and is sensitive towards the issue of mental illness. The film is a fictional thriller that encourages you to celebrate your uniqueness and embrace your individuality,” she said while sharing a new poster of the film on social media. Directed by Prakash Kovelamudi, Mental Hai Kya is scheduled to release on July 26.