A group of India and UK-based scholars, theatre artists and filmmakers has been trying to spread awareness aboutmentalhealth in Kerala for the past three years through art-based interventions.
The three-year project, funded by UK Research and Innovation – Economic and Social Research Council (UKRIESRC), Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) and the Global Challenges Research Fund (GCRF), will conclude in December and the project explored the overall awareness of MHL in Kerala through various surveys and interactions. The study demonstrates how theatre, storytelling and film-based platforms can be used as a tool to improve mental Literacy in the Kerala context and initiate conversations around mental ill-Health, its self-awareness and stigmas.
Raghavan, quoting the National Mental Health Survey of India 2017, said that despite the health advances in Kerala, 14.4% of the Population aged18 and above experience mental ill-health once in their lifetime, with 12.5% of individuals with suicidal risk. This is the highest of all states of India.