Kolkata has earned the distinction of being the most vegan-friendly city in India for 2025, according to PETA India. The recognition comes in light of the city’s increasing number of vegan restaurants, cafes, and plant-based food options, alongside community initiatives promoting ethical eating and cruelty-free living.
The award reflects not just the culinary landscape but also the efforts of local residents and businesses to embrace veganism and promote awareness about animal welfare. PETA India highlighted Kolkata’s commitment to creating an inclusive environment for vegans and the growing popularity of plant-based diets among its population. The announcement also aims to inspire other cities across India to adopt more vegan-friendly practices and support sustainable, compassionate food choices.
Written by Tanisha Cardozo || Team Allycaral Entertainment Desk
Stand-up comedian Zakir Khan has announced that he will be taking an extended break from comedy, citing health concerns and hereditary medical issues as the primary reasons behind his decision. In a recent interview, Zakir admitted that years of relentless work and neglecting rest have significantly affected his physical well-being.
Speaking about his health, Zakir revealed that certain genetic illnesses in his family tend to surface after a particular age, prompting him to reassess his lifestyle. He acknowledged that his demanding schedule, which often involved sleeping for just a couple of hours before meeting fans and performing across cities, placed immense strain on his body. Reflecting on his journey, he said that maintaining such a pace for nearly ten years was bound to take a toll.
Zakir also shared that being the first in his family to achieve large-scale success brought with it a deep sense of responsibility. The desire to secure a better future for the next generation motivated him to prioritise work above everything else, often at the cost of his own health. Over time, however, he realised that balancing both health and work was no longer sustainable.
The decision to take a break became clearer during his tour in the United States last year, when Zakir recognised that continuing at the same pace would not allow him to address his health concerns adequately. While a viral clip from his Hyderabad show suggested that his break would last until 2030, Zakir later clarified that the timeline referred specifically to his return to Hyderabad, as resuming work after a hiatus would take time.
Zakir formally announced the break during a live performance in Hyderabad as part of his ongoing Papa Yaar tour. He shared that the hiatus could last anywhere between three to five years, potentially extending until 2028, 2029, or even 2030, once he fulfils his existing commitments. Expressing gratitude to his audience, Zakir emphasised that the decision was rooted in the need to take care of his health and focus on personal matters.
He has since reassured fans that upcoming shows until June 20 will be treated as a celebration, marking an important pause in a career that has shaped contemporary Indian stand-up comedy and connected deeply with audiences across generations.
Migration and displacement, often discussed through numbers and geopolitical debates, take on deeply human dimensions at the Serendipity Arts Festival 2025 through the exhibition Displacement, curated by art historian Rahaab Allana. Open to viewing at The Old PWD Complex in Panaji, the exhibition brings together artists from South Asia and the Gulf region whose works reflect lived experiences of exile, asylum and rupture.
Allana situates the exhibition within the context of recent global migration trends, noting that 2024 witnessed record levels of displacement worldwide. From conflicts in Syria, Iraq, Palestine and Afghanistan to internal displacement within South Asia, the curator connects global crises with local and regional realities. These transitions, shaped by racism, border anxieties and minority-majority debates, form the conceptual backbone of Displacement.
The exhibition foregrounds image-based practices that confront today’s volatile socio-political landscape. While wars, territorial conflicts and ideologies dominate headlines, Allana stresses that it is ultimately human lives that bear the consequences. The works on display insist on a humanist approach, using art as a provocation for dialogue and empathy at a time of increasing polarisation.
Many of the artists featured are themselves living in exile or seeking asylum far from their homelands. Their works speak of both internal and external displacement, addressing themes of severance, surveillance, memory and loss, while also revealing how art becomes a means of survival and community-building. Through creative expression, these artists forge connections and shared spaces even while navigating life in exile.
Among the notable works is that of Afghan artist Hadi Ranaward, whose piece maps Kabul with delicate origami planes and helicopters hovering above the city. The shadows they cast evoke constant scrutiny and surveillance, capturing the psychological reality of living under watch and within contested spaces. Such works invite viewers to reflect not only on territory and power, but on the everyday lives shaped by them.
Trained in art history and photography, Allana’s curatorial practice has long focused on decolonising visual narratives, a sensibility that is evident throughout the exhibition. Rather than closing conversations, Displacement opens them up, encouraging viewers to ask questions and engage with perspectives that are often marginalised.
At its core, Displacement resists simplification. It does not seek easy resolutions but instead insists on complexity, compassion and attentiveness. Within the broader framework of the Serendipity Arts Festival, the exhibition stands as a reminder that behind every migration story is a human life — carrying memory, trauma, hope and the enduring need to belong.
