4 Indian Americans Among Artists and Executives Invited to Join Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences
- The list of new members includes Indian actors Ram Charan and N.T. Rama Rao Jr., directors Mani Ratnam, Chaitanya Tamhane, Shaunak Sen, and producers Karan Johar and Siddharth Roy Kapur, among others.
Composer and guitarist Rafiq Bhatia, Netflix executives Bela Bajaria and Girish Balakrishnan, and producer Shivani Rawat are among those invited to join the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences. This year’s class has 398 artists and executives “who have distinguished themselves by their contributions to motion pictures,” the Academy said.
Also invited is the cast and crew of The Oscar-winning “RRR” including lead actors Ram Charan and NT Rama Rao Jr., are on the coveted list, along with cinematographer K.K. Senthil Kumar; lyricist Chandrabose; music composer M.M. Keeravaani and production designer Sabu Cyril. Also listed are acclaimed directors Mani Ratnam, Chaitanya Tamhane, Shaunak Sen, as well as producers Karan Johar and Siddharth Roy Kapur, Red Sea International Film Festival managing director Shivani Pandya Malhotra, Haresh Hingorani and Kamil Jafar for visual effects, and writer Shola Dada.
In a statement, Academy CEO Bill Kramer and Academy President Janet Yang said they are “proud to welcome these artists and professionals into our membership. They represent extraordinary global talent across cinematic disciplines and have made a vital impact on the arts and sciences of motion pictures and on movie fans worldwide.”
Of the new members this year, 34% are minorities, 40% are women, and 52% are from outside the U.S. There are 76 Oscar® nominees, including 22 winners, among the invitees, the Academy said.