Academy invites 529 new members including Bhardwaj and Lakhani
Big news for Indian cinema: Vishal Bhardwaj, Eka Lakhani, and a few other talented names have been invited by the Academy to join its 2026 voting class.
AMPAS is welcoming 529 new members from all over the world, aiming for more diversity with nearly half women and more than half from underrepresented communities.
Academy could reach 11,319 members
If everyone accepts, the Academy will have 11,319 members (10,338 voters).
The invite list also includes casting director Dilip Shankar, editors Deepa Bhatia and A. Sreekar Prasad, animation artist Avneet Kaur, and production and technology experts Farah Khan and Rajesh Ramachandran.
Academy leaders praised these invitees for their significant contributions to the global movie industry. Pretty cool recognition for Indian talent.