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NEW DELHI: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has stressed the importance of using south Indian cinema to promote the natural beauty of Jammu and Kashmir as part of a broader strategy to boost tourism in the region. The chief minister also expressed a desire to engage more with filmmakers from the south Indian industry, which he believes has been overlooked so far. "The places we should be focusing on where the money is there, the budgets are big are actually the south Indian film industry. That, for reasons of arrogance or ignorance, we have consciously ignored up until now. So they are the ones with movie budgets of Rs 300-400 crore," Abdullah told PTI during a recent interview. The chief minister observed the tourism sector would benefit greatly if films depicted the scenic beauty of Jammu and Kashmir, as he highlighted the historical connection with Bollywood that, he said, had played an important role in establishing the valley as a favourite honeymoon destination for generations of Indians. This strategy, according to Abdullah, would serve a dual purpose -- it would not only display the scenic beauty of the region in south Indian films but also promote Kashmir as an attractive travel destination among tourists from south India who had not traditionally viewed the valley as a vacation spot. While there is no precise estimate of the south Indian film industry's size, a 2022 report by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) valued it at approximately Rs 74,900 crore. The report, titled "Regional is the New National – Way Forward for the South India Media and Entertainment Industry", showed that the south Indian film industry accounted for 35 per cent of the total media and entertainment market share, maintaining its relevance despite rapid technological advancements. According to media consultancy firm Ormax Media, Tollywood -- the Telugu-language film industry -- brought in around USD 212 million last year, surpassing Bollywood's earnings of USD 197 million. Abdullah mentioned the possibilities of marketing Jammu and Kashmir as a prime filming location for films and video albums. These have more time for shoot preparation but can easily boast high budgets. He also highlighted the destination wedding market, a major commercial business opportunity now. By targeting these avenues, Abdullah aims to give a boost to the tourism industry and showcase the unparalleled beauty of Jammu and Kashmir to a wider audience. The chief minister said a proposal had been made for opening some new destinations in Kashmir. "We have actually put together a proposal and are trying to see if we can get multilateral agency funding."
Texas, Arizona State to meet in CFP clash of old vs. new Big 12 champs
AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Texas won the title in 2023 on its way out the door to the Southeastern Conference. It was still swinging open when Arizona State waltzed in and won the league title in its debut season. And now the old Big 12 champs meet the new Big 12 champs on the path toward a potential national title. The fifth-seeded Longhorns and fourth-seeded Sun Devils play News Years Day in the Peach Bowl in the quarterfinals of the . Both had their doubters they could get here. Texas (12-2) still had to prove is was “ready” for the SEC. Arizona State (11-2) was picked to finish last in the Big 12. But the Sun Devils quickly started winning and having fun in some new road environments in college towns smaller than some of their stops in the more cosmopolitan old Pac-12. running back Cam Skattebo led the barnstorming tour. “We were not used to getting tortillas thrown at us at Texas Tech. You're not used to some of these environments," Sun Devils coach Kenny Dillingham said Monday. “When you're in the Pac-12, you're playing in Seattle, you're playing in L.A., you're playing in Salt Lake City. We got to face a lot more small college town football with really, really great environments. ... It was definitely fun to join a new league," Dillingham said. And Dillingham laid down some Texas roots. The Sun Devils are recruiting Texas players out of high school, and the current roster has six transfers who started their college careers in burnt orange in Austin. “The guys we’ve gotten from Texas and coach (Steve Sarkisian's) program have been unbelievable,” Dillingham said. “We know what we’re getting when we’re getting a guy from that program, and that’s a guy who has worked really hard, competed and been pushed. Those are the things that we like to bring in.” Safety Xavion Alford was named . Defensive end Prince Dorbah is another Sun Devils starter. Defensive lineman Zac Swanson, who has two sacks this season, is another former Longhorn who said he relished a chance to beat his former team. Recruited by Texas out of Phoenix, Swanson was a reserve in 2022 and 2023 behind future NFL draft picks T'Vondre Sweat and Byron Murphy. “That's a team who kicked me out and said I'd never I was never going to be good enough to play there,” Swanson said last week. “That's something that has been on my agenda for a while.” Dillingham joked he'd like to get more Texas transfers this week. Sarkisian simply noted that he wished he'd signed Skattebo, a Californian who transferred from Sacramento State after the 2022 season. “I was unaware, so kudos to them. They found him, he's a heckuva player,” said Sarkisian, who also is a California native. Sarkisian said he was impressed by the Sun Devil's first-year success in the Big 12. “We were in that Big 12, what, for 27 years? We won four. This is their first year in and they won a Big 12 Championship. It’s a really hard thing to do,” Sarkisian said. “They’re playing with a ton of confidence right now. The last two months, I think they’re playing as good a football as anybody in the country.” Despite wining that last Big 12 title and a playoff appearance in 2023, Texas still faced skeptics that the Longhorns would take their lumps in the SEC this year. Texas was more than ready for the league and the Longhorns made it to the SEC championship game. Their only two losses have been to Georgia, the No. 2 seed in the playoff. Sarkisian still remembers his 5-7 Texas debut in 2021. The program wasn't ready for the SEC and the playoff back then, but it certainly is now. Texas is the only one of last year's four playoff teams to make the expanded 12-team field this year. “There’s a lot to be proud of, but mostly I’m proud of our veterans, our leaders, our seniors, because those guys went from 5-7 in year one, they went through 8-5 in year two, and they didn’t jump ship. They hung in there with us. They believed in what they were doing,” Sarkisian said. Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up . AP college football: andThe latest series of rumours suggest that the Free Fire is expected to launch in 2025. Here's why? Since the central government banned Garena Free Fire in India due to security concerns, fans have eagerly awaited its return. You must have been wondering when Free Fire India will finally make its comeback. Based on earlier leaks, the game was supposed to launch on September 5, 2023, while fixing the security flaws, but that didn’t happen. Garena, the game’s developer, hasn’t explained the delay, and fans have been left waiting ever since. Now, though, there’s a fresh buzz around the game, and it might just give us a clue about what’s next. Why Is Everyone Talking About Garena’s Job Postings? Here’s what’s got people talking. Garena recently posted job openings for roles like marketing, esports, and operations, specifically for the Indian market. This has made fans hopeful that the company is preparing to reintroduce Free Fire India. But let’s be cautious. These job listings don’t confirm anything yet. The roles could also be related to other projects, like Free Fire Max. So, while it’s exciting to speculate, nothing is set in stone just yet. A lot of fans believe that Free Fire India might finally launch in 2025. Some rumours point to a mid-2025 release window. The delay might be because Garena is working on making the game more localized for Indian players, with features that follow Indian regulations. This extra time could mean a better experience when the game eventually launches, but yes—it’s a long wait for now. What Can You Play While You Wait? The truth is, Garena hasn’t confirmed anything about Free Fire India yet. The job postings and speculation are exciting, but we’ll need to wait for official announcements to know more. Meanwhile, if you’re missing the action, don’t forget about Free Fire Max. It’s an upgraded version of the game with improved graphics and faster gameplay. It’s available on the Google Play Store and the Apple App Store, so it’s a great option while you wait for updates on Free Fire India. Click for more latest Gaming news . Also get top headlines and latest news from India and around the world at News9. Divya is a Senior Sub-Editor with about 3 years of experience in journalism and content writing. Before joining News9live, she had contributed to Times Now and Hindustan Times, where she focused on tech reporting and reviewing gadgets. When she's not working, you can find her indulging in Netflix, expressing her creativity through painting, and dancing.
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