Academy Awards are considered the most prestigious awards in the realm of cinema. Renowned Indian celebrities Shabana Azmi, director SS Rajamouli, producer Ritesh Sidhwani, and Ravi Varman have been invited to become the members by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. The Academy announced the list late Tuesday night featuring 487 new members that have been invited to join the Academy.  

Shabana Azmi recently completed 50 years in the industry. She has been invited to join the Actors branch. She has worked in both Indian and international cinema. Some of her popular works include Fire (1996), Masoom (1983), Shatranj Ke Khilari (1977), Godmother (1999), the Reluctant Fundamentalist (2012), and many more. 

International artists who received the invitation include Jessica Alba, Lily Gladstone, Greta Lee, Catherine O’Hara, and many more. According to media reports, this year’s invitees include 44 percent women, which is slightly more than the last year. The Academy aims to include representation from different ethnic and racial communities.   

SS Rajamouli is the director of ‘RRR,’ which became the first Indian feature production to win an Academy Award in 2023. His oeuvre includes popular films like ‘Baahubali’ and ‘Magadheera.’ In the directors branch, he will be joined by Rima Das, independent filmmaker known for ‘Village Rockstars’ and ‘Bulbul Can Sing.’  

Indian producer Ritesh Sidhwani has been invited to join the producers branch at the Academy Awards. He is known for movies like ‘Dil Chahta Hai’ and ‘Gully Boy.’

Other artists invited to become the members include Ravi Varman, Director of Photography, Rama Rajamouli, RRR costume designer, Sheetal Sharma, and Hemal Trivedi, a documentary filmmaker. 

The last ceremony of Academy Awards was held on March 11, 2024. Cilian Murphy won the Best Actor Award and Emma Stone received the Best Actress Award for her performance in the film ‘Poor Things.’

 

Image credits: X (Twitter)