The membership committee for the Oscar organizers has extended an invitation to Suriya, the first actor from the Tamil cinema industry. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences invited 397 artists and executives to join the Class of 2022 on June 28. Indian actress Reema Kagti, Bollywood actor Kajol, and director Sushmit Ghosh are all on the list for 2022. Rintu Thomas, director of Oscar nominee documentary, Writing with Fire, has also been invited by the documentary branch.
The Class of 2022 will include 71 Oscar nominees and 15 winners.
Suriya’s most recent films, Jai Bhim and Soorarai Pottru, which were both released on Amazon Prime Video, earned him widespread international acclaim. Despite the fact that he has many blockbuster films to his name.
Scene from Jai Bhim featured in Oscars YouTube channel
In January, a scene from Jai Bhim, was featured in the Oscars YouTube channel. “Jai Bhim weaves in real case studies helmed by activist-lawyer Chandru, who brought justice to indigenous tribes in Tamil Nadu through his relentless efforts. Writer-director TJ Gnanavel reveals how the story narrative was formed and executed,” said the channel about the film.
Now, Suriya, who is making his foray into Bollywood producing the Hindi remake of Soorarai Pottru, has been selected to join the Oscar organiser’s membership ranks.
While Kajol has a large commercial body of work, Kagti, known for Hindi films such as Talaash, Gully Boy, and Gold, is set to join the writers branch. According to a statement posted on the Academy’s website, the list includes artists and executives who have distinguished themselves through their contributions to theatrical motion pictures.
Members selected based on professional qualifications
Members are chosen based on their professional qualifications, and they must demonstrate an ongoing commitment to representation, inclusion, and equity as a priority. “The 2022 class is 44% female, 37% from underrepresented ethnic/racial communities, and 50% from 53 countries and territories other than the United States,” the Academy said in a statement.
Oscar-winner A R Rahman, megastar Amitabh Bachchan, superstars Shah Rukh Khan, Vidya Balan, Aamir Khan, Salman Khan and Ali Afzal, as well as producers Aditya Chopra, Guneet Monga, Ekta Kapoor, and Shobha Kapoor, are already Academy members.
