With the fiasco over directorial duties of Manikarnika: The Queen Of Jhansi still fresh in people's minds, cinephiles were quick to blame Kangana Ranaut for the delay in the release of Mental Hai Kya. Denying reports of Ranaut retarding the film-making process by interfering in his duties, director Prakash Kovelamudi tells mid-day, "On my set, Kangana was an actor; a professional one, and a creative asset."

Referring to suggestions of her having helmed a small portion of the film as "baseless rumours", Kovelamudi says, "Both Kangana and Rajkummar [Rao] are powerhouse performers who I enjoyed directing. I am happy to see how their characters have turned out. Mental Hai Kya is an intriguing thriller with doses of quirk. The film challenges the norms, and I am thrilled to bring to the audience something original."