"Depression ki dukan": Kangana takes apparent dig at Deepika
Today, as the world marks Mental Health Day, actor Kangana Ranaut used the opportunity to encourage fans to watch her film Judgementall Hai Kya, which revolves around a woman struggling with mental health issues. Her message, however, came wrapped with an apparent insult for her colleague, actor Deepika Padukone, whom she referred to as someone who runs "depression ki dukan." Here's more on this.
'Film was dragged to court by those who sell depression'
Sharing a clip featuring footage from the movie, Kangana has tweeted, "The film that we made for Mental Health awareness was dragged to the court by those who run depression ki dukan." She added that the "name of the film was changed just before the release causing marketing complications, but it's a good film, do watch it today."
Here is Kangana's tweet
Why was the movie's title changed?
Judgementall Hai Kya was originally titled "Mental Hai Kya." However, that title was mired in controversy as it was deemed by mental health experts and organizations as insensitive toward patients. In fact, the Indian Psychiatric Society (IPS) had issued a letter to the film certification body CBFC, demanding change of "degrading" title. It also filed a PIL over the matter in Gujarat High Court.
Last year, Deepika had opined against the film's original title
Kangana has often used terms like "depression ki dukan" and "depression ka dhanda" against Deepika. Deepika, 34, is a vocal advocate for mental health awareness. She also founded the non-profit organization Live Love Laugh Foundation, which works toward mental health issues and suicide prevention. Last year, when asked about the title "Mental Hai Kya," Deepika had called it as "stereotypical."
'We're de-stigmatizing mental illness, they're stereotyping it'
"When we have films like Mental Hai Kya, and we have posters in a particular manner, we have to be more sensitive. Because we are working toward de-stigmatizing mental illness, and on the other hand, they are stereotyping it," Deepika had said at the time. Thereafter, Kangana's sister Rangoli Chandel had attacked Deepika through a series of tweets.
Kangana attacked Deepika after her name appeared in drugs case
More recently, after Deepika's name had surfaced in the ongoing drugs probe related to actor Sushant Singh Rajput's death, Kangana had attacked her. "Repeat after me, depression is a consequence of drug abuse. So called high society rich star children who claim to be classy and have a good upbringing ask their manager, Maal Hai Kya?" she tweeted.
