Amitabh Bachchan, Salman Khan, Priyanka and other actors get invites from Oscars’ body

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has sent out 774 invitations to new members, and this time it includes Indian actors, writers, costume designer and others. The actors list has Amitabh Bachchan, Priyanka Chopra, Deepika Padukone, Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Irrfan Khan, Aamir Khan and Salman Khan.

There are also other Indian artists, like Mrinal Sen, Buddhadeb Dasgupta and Goutam Ghose, writer Sooni Taraporevala, costume designer Arjun Bhasin, documentary maker Anand Patwardhan and sound designer Amrit Pritam Dutta, who have been invited.

Reportedly, the film academy will have 39 percent female and 30 percent non-white in its new class. They have been facing criticism for having a lot of white and male members, thus facing tags of racism. Even the hashtag, #OscarsSoWhite has been in the news. This can be said as a move negate the same, plus push the boundaries globally, on a larger scale. (Also Read: Priyanka Chopra on marriage: Let’s just say that the option is always open)

Academy’s president Cheryl Boone Isaacs stated, “This conversation that the academy has been having for the last couple years has really energized our base, has really energised our members and the communit.”

A report in Hollywood Reporter stated, “That number is more than the record 683 invitations that were issued in 2016, and well above the 322 invites that went out in 2017 as the Academy has made a concerted effort to diversify its membership ranks by bringing in more women, people of color and filmmakers from around the world.”

The report further stated, “The basic requirement is that a candidate must have demonstrated exceptional achievement in the field of theatrical motion pictures, although each branch then has its own specific requirements.”

Well, the Indian actors and other celebs surely deserved to be invited. Now let’s see how many will make their presence known.

Murtuza Iqbal

‘Eat Sleep Bollywood Repeat’ is his life Mantra. Dance is his first love and Rani Mukerji is his eternal crush. He is someone who loves being himself, and as for the ones who don’t agree, his reply? “Talk to my hand!”