Actors Suriya, Kajol and director Reema Kagti are among the 397 people who have been invited to become members of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. The Academy announced the list of new members on its Twitter handle on Tuesday, which also includes Ariana DeBose, Billie Eilish, Jamie Dornan and Troy Kotsur among others.
Suriya is the first Tamil actor to be invited to join the Oscar committee. Trade analyst Ramesh Bala shared the news on Twitter and congratulated the actor. 'Actor @Suriya_offl becomes the first Tamil/South Indian Actor to be invited to join the prestigious Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.. #Oscars Congratulations!,' he wrote.
Suriya's film 'Soorarai Pottru' was India's official entry to Oscars 2021. He is also best known for his work in films like 'Jai Bhim', 'Ghajini', and 'Singham' among others.
Also watch| Naga Chaitanya reportedly dating Sobhita Dhulipala following separation from Samantha Ruth Prabhu
Kajol has been a prominent part of Bollywood for decades. She is best known for blockbusters like 'Kuch Kuch Hota Hai', 'Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham', 'My Name Is Khan' and 'Dilwale.'
Filmmaker Reema Kagti is known for films such as 'Talaash' and Honeymoon Travels Pvt Ltd.' She also co-runs production house Tiger Baby with Zoya Akhtar.
Documentary filmmakers Sushmit Ghosh, Rintu Thomas, 'Deadpool' producer Aditya Sood and PR and Marketing professional Sohini Sengupta are among other Indians to have received the invitation from the academy this year.
The Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences invites artists from across the world each year to be a part of the committee. They are eligible to vote for the Oscar awards that are held in Los Angeles. Several Indian stars have been a part of the Academy including Shah Rukh Khan, Aamir Khan, Salman Khan, AR Rahman and Madhuri Dixit.