Vishal Bhardwaj joins Jacob Elordi, Jenna Ortega, Zach Cregger, earns invitation to Oscar voting body

Filmmaker and composer Vishal Bhardwaj is among the six individuals from India who have been invited to join the Oscar voting body. Although the prestigious list majorly consists of actors, artists and filmmakers from the US, it also includes names from across the world, including India.

Vishal Bhardwaj invited by the Academy for voting body

This year, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has extended an invitation to 529 members to join the voting panel, which will almost double its size from what it was a decade ago.

This year, the list of invitees include One Battle After Another nominee Teyana Taylor, Josh O'Connor, Jenna Ortega, Jacob Elordi, Simu Liu, Julia Garner, Josh O'Connor, Paddy Considine, Simu Liu, Anthony Ramos, Scoot McNairy, Tig Notaro, Bill Skarsgard and Wood Harris.

Invitees from India

From India, Vishal Bhardwaj is the biggest name of the year. The filmmaker-composer is invited alongside film editors Deepa Bhatia and A Sreekar Prasad have also been invited.

A Sreekar Prasad is best known as the editor of the Oscar-winning RRR. Some of his other works are Talvar, Shershaah, Saathiya, and Sky Force. On the other hand, Deepa Bhatia helmed films like Kai Po Che, Taare Zameen Par, Rock On, and Kedarnath.

Costume designer Eka Lakhani, who has worked on Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani, has also been invited, reportedly. Some of her other works were seen in films such as Ponniyin Selvan, Dunki, Queen, and Sanju. Casting director Dilip Shankar, who is associated with the Oscar-bound Last Film Show, is also invited this year alongside Disney animator Avneet Kaur.

Last year, Kamal Haasan and Ayushmann Khurrana, and filmmaker Payal Kapadia were invited by the Academy.

The Oscar members

If all invitees accept their invitations, the film academy will number 11,319, with 10,338 voting members. In 2016, the academy saw almost 6,000 members.

Reportedly, to diversify its ranks, the Oscars organisation has now expanded in recent years. In 2015, the Academy was 75% male and 92% white. In the same year, all 20 acting nominees were white, prompting the #OscarsSoWhite hashtag across social media amid mixed reactions from people.

Following the induction of this year's new members, the Academy will have 64% male and 75% white. Another factor of the membership expansion has been an increase in international voters. Overseas members now make for 22% of the group.

The makeup of the new class is 42% women, 56% from underrepresented communities. About 53% of the members are from non-US countries.

"Membership selection is based on professional qualifications, with an ongoing commitment to representation, inclusion and equity remaining a priority," the academy said in its official announcement on Wednesday.

Oscars 2027: Date, venue

The 99th Academy Awards will be held March 14, 2027. Conan O'Brien will mark his return as host for the third consecutive year.

The ceremony will be held at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, Los Angeles, California before moving to a newer location.

Starting in 2029, the globally watched ceremony will shift from the theatre in the Hollywood Boulevard to the Peacock Theater in central Los Angeles.

(with inputs from PTI)