Vishal Bhardwaj leads a six-member Indian group invited to join the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, opening the door to Oscar voting rights if accepted

Six Indian film professionals are set to become part of the panel that determines future Oscar winners.
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has extended invitations to filmmaker and composer Vishal Bhardwaj, editors Deepa Bhatia and A Sreekar Prasad, costume designer Eka Lakhani, casting director Dilip Shankar and Disney animator Avneet Kaur.
Acceptance of the invitation would make them members of the Academy and give them voting rights for the Oscars.

The selection reflects a wide range of contributions across filmmaking, from directing and editing to costume design, casting and animation.
The Academy has invited 529 artists and industry professionals from around the world this year, including Oscar nominees, winners and technical achievement recipients.
Among the Indian invitees, A Sreekar Prasad is one of the country's most recognised editors, with credits that include ‘Talvar’, ‘Saathiya’, ‘Shershaah’ and ‘Sky Force’. He was also part of the team behind the Oscar-winning ‘RRR’.
Deepa Bhatia's work spans films such as ‘Taare Zameen Par’, ‘Kai Po Che’, ‘Rock On’ and ‘Kedarnath’.
Eka Lakhani has built an extensive portfolio through projects including ‘Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani’, ‘Ponniyin Selvan’, ‘Dunki’, ‘Queen’ and ‘Sanju’.
Dilip Shankar is known for his casting work on Last Film Show, while Avneet Kaur has established her career in animation through Disney productions.
The Academy's latest round of invitations also includes several international names from film and entertainment. Actors Jacob Elordi, Jenna Ortega, Teyana Taylor and Jon Bernthal feature on the list, alongside Disney CEO Josh D'Amaro.
Academy membership is offered through a nomination and review process that involves recommendations from different branches before final approval by the Board of Governors.
Last year, Indian invitees included actors Kamal Haasan and Ayushmann Khurrana, along with filmmaker Payal Kapadia.
Published: 25 Jun 2026, 03:26 pm IST
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