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I'm afraid I believe that imdb is wrong here. Helen Mirren wasn't particularly well known in 1971(for a 1972 release), I doubt she would have been a first choice.

But Hitchcock was pretty much forced to cast unknowns for ALL the main roles in Frenzy.

Given Hitchcock's poor track record at the time(Marnie, Torn Curtain, Topaz) and given the unappetizing nature of the main roles (rapist-killer, rape victims, born loser anti-hero), major British stars turned down the key roles:

Bob Rusk : Michael Caine turned this role down.
Richard Blaney: Richard Burton and then Richard Harris turned this role down
Brenda Blaney: Glenda Jackson and Vanessa Redgrave turned this role down.
Babs: Lynn Redgrave turned this role down.

With all those "name" turn downs (the loss of Michael Caine particularly irked him)...Hitchcock shifted to a cattle call of British stage and TV actors. And Hitchcock DID complain in an interview about how the agents sent him all these bosomy blondes to play the barmaid Babs. A bit of a cliché, thought, Hitchcock.

I think the truth of the matter is that Helen Mirren was "one of those bosomy blondes" (there were evidently dozens sent to Hitch), and simply wasn't chosen. Mirren likely did meet with Hitch; he was interviewing players at the rate of about ten a day.

Imdb likely has a "softened" version of the story with her turning it down; Mirren told this story to promote "Hitchcock."

Keep in mind another reason(aside from the "cliché") WHY Hitchcock rejected the bosomy blondes. He wanted the rape-murders in Frenzy to be of rather plain and/or matronly women. He didn't want bombshell blondes playing these victims and adding a element of soft core porn to these cruel sexual murders.

PS. Interesting to me. During his "cattle call' of unknown British actors, Hitchcock interviewed Jon Finch who got the role of Richard Blaney ...to play Bob Rusk the villain! I just can't see Finch in the part. I think Barry Foster got the role because he looked and sounded like Michael Caine and also because -- with his red-blonde hair, he'd look great as Hitchcock's first "psycho in color."