Vishal Bhardwaj, Sreekar Prasad and Deepa Bhatia among 529 new invites for Academy membership

Director-composer Vishal Bhardwaj, film editors Deepa Bhatia and A Sreekar Prasad as well as costume designer Eka Lakhani and casting director Dilip Shankar are among the 529 artists invited by Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to become its members.

"We are delighted to invite this remarkable group of film artists and professionals from around the world to join the Academy. Through their commitment to filmmaking, this year's exceptionally talented class has made significant contributions to our global movie industry," Academy CEO Bill Kramer and Academy President Lynette Howell Taylor said in a statement.

Bhardwaj, who started his cinema journey as a music composer before branching out as a successful filmmaker, has been invited as a composer to join the organisation.


The filmmaker has always composed music for his films, be it "Maqbool", "Omkara", "Kaminey", "Haider". He has also given music to Gulzar's "Maachis" and most recently composed for Manish Malhotra's production "Gustaakh Ishq".

Bhatia is a renowned film editor and has worked on films such as "Tare Zameen Par", "My Name is Khan", "Rock On", "Kai Po Che," and "Raees".

Prasad is also a prolific editor who has worked across industries in India and has edited "Kaminey" and "Talvar", "Pazhassi Raja" and "Kattradhu Thamizh".

Lakhani has worked as a costume designer on Mani Ratnam's "Ponniyin Selvan", "Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani", "Leo" and "Dunki" and many others.

Dilip Shankar, who selected the cast for Mira Nair's "Monsoon Wedding" and Pan Nalin's "The Last Show", is part of the newly introduced Oscar branch for casting directors.

In its release, the Academy said the membership process for its 19 branches and one membership classification is conducted by sponsorship, not application. Additionally, Academy Award nominees are automatically considered for membership in the year in which they are nominated and do not require sponsors.

Membership selection is based on professional qualifications, with an ongoing commitment to representation, inclusion and equity remaining a priority. Of the 2026 invited class, 42 per cent are women, 56 per cent belong to underrepresented communities, and 53 per cent are from 60 countries and territories outside the United States. PTI