Indian artists Ram Charan, Jr NTR, Karan Johar, others join Oscars' Academy as new members

The Academy of Motion Pictures and Arts has added 398 people to its list. The list includes Indian celebrities Mani Ratnam, Karan Johar, Shaunak Sen, and MM Keeravani among others.

Hyderabad: The Academy of Motion Pictures and Arts has invited a list of 398 members to join its ranks in 2023. The list consists of nearly a dozen of Indian artists, including the renowned actor duo of the film RRR, Ram Charan and Jr NTR. Other Indian invitees include Karan Johar, Siddharth Roy Kapur, Mani Ratnam, Chaitanya Tamhane, Shaunak Sen, MM Keeravani, and KK Senthil Kumar. They are among the long list of prominent members in the entertainment industry, which also includes international stars such as The Weeknd and Taylor Swift.

Academy CEO Bill Kramer and Academy President Janet Yang stated, "The Academy is 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." The Academy said in a statement that the selection of membership is based on professional skills with an ongoing commitment to representation, inclusion, and equity.

The list of 398 new members is roughly half the figure of recent years as the academy scaled back after working to double the number of women and non-white members, following calls to boycott the glitzy Oscars and social media outrage. The Academy currently has over 10,000 members. Of the 2023 class, the academy said 40 percent identify as women, 34 percent are from underrepresented racial and ethnic groups, and 52 percent are from 50 countries and territories outside the United States.

The Academy only sends out one round of invitations a year since it is regarded as the highest apex body of the Hollywood film industry. Only members of the Academy can vote for Oscar winners. Next year's Oscars are scheduled to take place on March 10.