Mental Hai Kya: Indian Psychiatric Society to address media tomorrow

The Indian Psychiatric Soceity (IPS) has written to the Central Board of Film and Certification (CBFC) , the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, as well as to the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) calling the title of the movie Mental Hai Kya as “discriminative, stigmatising, degrading and inhuman in projecting mental disorders and persons.” Vinay Kumar the Honorary General Secretary of the Indian Psychiatric Society has issued an official statement to the respective bodies. They are also going to hold a press conference tomorrow in Delhi to address the same. Here is the statement-

“The title #MENTAL_HAI_KYA is clearly derogatory to people fighting with their mental maladies. It is sarcastic and ridicules persons in pain. Experts and activists are trying to tell people that nobody is mental or mad. Having mental illness is neither a crime nor a curse. These are diseases which afflict people and are curable and largely manageable. It’s unethical to call them mentally ill. But the title of the film loudly ridicules persons with mental illness which is not only unethical and inhuman but also illegal. 

#Section 92 of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act says :
Whoever,—
(a) intentionally insults or intimidates with intent to humiliate a person with disability in any place within public view; ………….
shall be punishable with imprisonment for a term which shall not be less than six months but which may extend to five years and with fine.”

The makers have recently released a poster which shows the two lead actors facing each other as they balance a blade between their tongues. Brilliant imagination! But can we call it creative too? The fact is that this sensational imagination is a perfect example of pathological risk taking behavior. In a time when India is facing rise in delinquency and personality disorders marked by risk taking behaviors such as drug and alcohol use, speedy driving, risky selfie taking etc “creating such provocative ideals” amounts to crime.

Indian Psychiatric Society strongly condemns the title and poster of the film and appeal the producer to withdraw these teasers and revise the title and content too if it has any such provocative sequence, dialogue or song. The logic of creativity and freedom of expression do not permit our creative film makers to hurt the sentiments of sufferers and caregivers and provoke our youngsters to risk their lives.”