On World Mental Health Day on Tuesday, filmmaker Imtiaz Ali said mental health needs to be understood and dealt with compassion.

"Mental health is something that needs to be understood and treated as common as being sick physically," Imtiaz said in a statement.

He attended an event 'The Happy Place', for which over 150 students across 20 schools came together.

Hosted by the Aditya Birla World Academy along with Mpower, the event was a platform for all these children to share their creative ideas and thoughts on the mental health movement in India.

"I was extremely happy and proud to see the performances by the children at Aditya Birla World Academy. May the tribe increase," Ali said in a statement.

The students participated in competitions across dance movement therapy, street plays, photography, filmmaking, singing, research proposal poster competition and writing.

Mpower, founded by Neerja Birla, aims to be the movement that affects change and destigmatize mental health issues in India.