Aamir Khan, Salman Khan, and Irrfan Khan are also invited by the actor branch of The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
Continuing with the diversity push after the backlash of 2015's #OscarsSoWhite campaign, The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has added a whopping 774 new members. This time, the Academy has acknowledged the star power of Bollywood by inviting Amitabh Bachchan, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Priyanka Chopra, Deepika Padukone, Aamir Khan, Salman Khan, and Irrfan Khan to the actor's branch.
Director Mrinal Sen, writer Goutam Ghose, documentary maker Anand Patwardhan, costume designer Arjun Bhasin, and sound expert Amrit Pritam Dutta are other Indians invited by the respective branches of the Academy.
"We’re proud to invite our newest class to the Academy. The entire motion picture community is what we make of it. It’s up to all of us to ensure that new faces and voices are seen and heard and to take a shot on the next generation the way someone took a shot on each of us," Academy President Cheryl Boone Isaacs said in a statement.
Irrfan Khan and Priyanka Chopra have made their mark in Bollywood and Hollywood alike. Bachchan father and daughter-in-law duo is one of the unique pairs invited this year. Deepika Padukone made the head turns in her Hollywood debut xXx: The Return of Xander Cage. But the biggest happy surprise comes in the form of Aamir Khan and Salman Khan being extended the invitation. Aamir Khan's Dangal has grossed over Rs1500 crore globally until last weekend. His Lagaan was nominated for Oscars 2002 in foreign language category. Salman Khan has been a force to reckon with when it comes to Bollywood box office numbers.
The new Academy members hail from 57 countries across the globe. The class of 2017 is 39% women and 30% people of colour. Actors, Casting directors, costume designers, documentary executives, and editors are the five categories that invited more women than men. The youngest Academy member is 19 and the oldest is 95.
Among other heavyweight names are Moonlight star Naomie Harris, Atlanta's Donald Glover, Thor Chris Hemsworth, Star Wars alums Riz Ahmed, Adam Driver, PeeCee's Baywatch co-star Dwayne Johnson, Betty White, Amy Poehler, couple Chris Pratt and Anna Faris, Margot Robbie, Channing Tatum, Kristen Stewart, Shailene Woodley, Ruth Negga, Harry Potter star Rupert Grint, and Wonder Woman star Gal Gadot.
Director duo Joe and Anthony Russo, Moonlight helmer Barry Jenkins, and Get Out director Jordan Peele are also invited.
You can check the complete list here
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