Kajol, Suriya, Reema Kagti and others invited to join the Oscars committee

Bollywood star Kajol, South Indian actor-producer Suriya and filmmaker-writer Reema Kagti are among the 397 artists and executives to have received an invitation to join as members of the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences. The list of new members was announced by the Academy on Tuesday. The Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences organises the Oscar awards annually.

Other Indians who have received the invitation this year include documentary filmmakers Sushmit Ghosh and Rintu Thomas whose film 'Writing with Fire' fetched a nomination at the Oscars earlier this year. 'Deadpool' producer Aditya Sood and PR and Marketing professional Sohini Sengupta are the other two Indians who have received invitations from the academy.

The exhaustive list also includes actors like Ariana DeBose, Billie Eilish, Jamie Dornan and Troy Kotsur among others.

Meet the new members from India

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Suriya is one of the most prominent actors and producers of Tamil cinema. His film 'Soorarai Pottru' was India's official entry to Oscars 2021. The actor is also known for blockbuster films like 'Jai Bhim', 'Ghajini', 'Singham' series among others. Kajol, one of the most prominent stars of Bollywood in the 1990s and early 2000s, has been part of blockbusters like 'Kuch Kuch Hota Hai', 'Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham', 'My Name Is Khan' and 'Dilwale' to name a few.

Reema Kagti is a prominent writer and filmmaker who has made films like 'Talaash', 'Honeymoon Travels Pvt Ltd' and runs a production house called Tiger Baby with Zoya Akhtar which has been responsible for producing critically acclaimed film 'Gully Boy' and web series 'Made In Heaven'.

Filmmakers Sushmit Ghosh and Rintu Thomas rose to prominence for their film 'Winds of Fire' which earned a nomination inthe Best Documentary Feature category at the Oscars 2022. Aditya Sood is aproducer who is known for backing films like 'The Martian' and the 'Deadpool' series.


What does an invitation to join the Academy mean?

Each year, the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences invites artists and excutives from across the world to be a part of the film body as members. Once inducted, the members are eligible to vote for the Oscar awards which take place in Los Angeles annually. The membership is not just a matter of honour but many see it as a form of representation.

Notable alumni in the Academy

Several Indian actor and technicians are already a part of the Academy which includes actors like Shah Rukh Khan, Aamir Khan, Salman Khan, AR Rahman, Madhuri Dixit, Vidya Balan, Ali Fazal, Amitabh Bachchan, Priyanka Chopra, Ekta Kapoor are just some of the prominent names from the Indian film industry who are part of the Academy.