Oscars: SRK, Naseeruddin Shah, Anil Kapoor, Ali Fazal invited to become members

Shah Rukh Khan

The Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences has just made its record breaking number of invites to new members on Monday night. It's a whopping list of 928 new members, the list features some of the biggest Indian talent too. Amongst the invited includes globally renowned Shah Rukh Khan, Naseeruddin Shah, Anil Kapoor and the most recent successful export of Indian talent to Hollywood, Ali Fazal. In an announcement, the Academy said the new members will increase the diversity in a major way as 49 per cent of its invitees are female and 38 per cent are people of colour

Last year the Academy sent out 774 invites, with each passing years the list becoming longer and in 2018 it has reached its highest record number till date. The Academy since 2014 has been on a directive to include more members from different countries and color, to hence diversify its membership. The artistes have been invited thus recognising their efforts and contribution to global cinema and promoting the idea of diversification of the Academy. India features prominently in the list of the new invitees that includes female stars Tabu and Madhuri Dixit, Anil Kapoor and actor Ali Fazal.

Veteran Bengali actors Soumitra Chatterjee (Bridge) and Madhabi Mukherjee (Charulata) are in the list of invitees. Yash Raj Films' Aditya Chopra and producer Guneet Monga also feature in the list. Oscar-winner A R Rahman, actor Irrfan Khan, Amitabh Bachchan and Aamir Khan are already the Academy members.

The Academy has been actively working to introduce more diversity in its voting to avoid a controversy like 2016 when the Oscars were dubbed "white" for failing to recognise talents of colour.

The Harvey Weinstein sexual harassment scandal in October last year further shaped the narrative in Hollywood with women coming forward and demanding better representation through #MeToo and Time's Up movements. The Academy seems to have taken these changes in consideration by diversifying its membership.

Speaking about being invited by Oscars, Ali Fazal said, "It's an absolute honour for me to have been accepted into the academy #iamacademy now. To one more step towards global cinema, towards one world, i am so happy the academy has diversified extensively over the past few years. And to include me in that prestigious list is in itself an honour for me n my country. I hope i serve well in the forthcoming years of entertainment . There are some heavy names out there on the list so am happy to share stage with them on this".

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(With inputs from PTI)