The RRR team, including actors Ram Charan, Jr NTR and composer MM Keeravani, as well as filmmakers Mani Ratnam and Karan Johar are among the 398 artistes and executives who have received invitations to join the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS).
RRR lyricist Chandrabose, who along with Keeravani won the Oscar for best original song for the film's blockbuster track "Naatu Naatu" in March, has also received an invitation. Two other invitees include RRR cinematographer KK Senthil Kumar and production designer Sabu Cyril, a press release stated.
Indian names feature heavily in the Academy's class of 2023 with the inclusion of Shaunak Sen, the director of Oscar-nominated documentary, Siddharth Roy Kapur, the producer of India's official Oscar entry Chhello Show, and Chaitanya Tamhane, known for critically-acclaimed Marathi titles The Disciple and Court in the list.
It also includes Girish Balakrishnan and Kranti Sarma from the field of production and technology; visual effects artistes Haresh Hingorani and PC Sanath; film executive Shivani Rawat and Shivani Pandya Malhotra, the managing director of Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea International Film Festival.
According to the AMPAS, the class of 2023 include 40 per cent women and 34 per cent from underrepresented ethnic/racial communities. 52 per cent of the invitees are from 50 countries and territories outside the US. 76 Oscar nominees, including 22 winners, are among the invitees.
In a statement, Academy CEO Bill Kramer and Academy President Janet Yang said the organisation is proud to welcome the "artists and professionals into our membership".
"They represent extraordinary global talent across cinematic disciplines and have made a vital impact on the arts and sciences of motion pictures and on movie fans worldwide,” they added.
The Academy has been actively working to introduce more diversity in its voting to avoid a controversy like 2016 when the Oscars were dubbed “white” for failing to recognise talents of colour.
The 2023 batch boasts of major Hollywood names including Academy Award-winning actor Ke Huy Quan, Austin Butler, Kerry Condon, Bill Hader, Nicholas Hoult, Stephanie Hsu, Lashana Lynch, Paul Mescal, Park Hae-il, filmmaking duo The Daniels (Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert) and musicians Taylor Swift, Abel “The Weeknd” Tesfaye and David Byrne.
In 2022, the organisation had invited 397 new members which included Indian names such as actors Kajol, Suriya, filmmakers Reema Kagti, Sushmit Ghosh, Rintu Thomas, and Pan Nalin.
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Big B defends his choice to praise Abhishek openly and others privately
Amitabh Bachchan reveals why he praises Abhishek publicly but not Jaya or Aishwarya
Quick highlights:
Amitabh Bachchan has responded to online comments asking why he often praises son Abhishek Bachchan on social media but not wife Jaya Bachchan, daughter-in-law Aishwarya Rai, or daughter Shweta. The actor explained that while he chooses to support Abhishek publicly, he honours the women in his family privately, saying he prefers to respect them “in his heart.”
Bachchan defends Abhishek praise, addresses fan remarks online
The 81-year-old actor, who regularly shares photos and thoughts with fans, recently posted images of himself meeting admirers outside his Mumbai home, Jalsa. Captioned “Yes, I praise Abhishek. So?”, the post sparked comments from users questioning why he doesn’t do the same for Jaya, Aishwarya, or Shweta.
Responding directly, Bachchan wrote, “Yes, I shall praise them in my heart… not publicly… respect for the ladies.” His reply quickly circulated across platforms, with many praising his thoughtful answer. Others pointed to his tendency to engage more often when defending Abhishek, especially around film releases.
Bachchan also shut down a user accusing him of having “paid fans,” bluntly replying, “Prove it! You are small-minded… why don’t you pay and get fans too?” When another person mocked those waiting outside his home as “unemployed,” he replied with characteristic wit: “So give them a job? When they stand at the gate of Jalsa, they are EMPLOYED in love.”
Actor remains active on social media while juggling film projects
Bachchan has become increasingly interactive online in recent years, often directly responding to criticism and fan feedback. Meanwhile, Abhishek was last seen in Housefull 5, a multi-starrer comedy that released earlier this month. Jaya Bachchan appeared in Rocky Aur Rani Kii Prem Kahaani in 2023, while Aishwarya Rai was part of Mani Ratnam’s Ponniyin Selvan films. Despite the online chatter, Amitabh continues to walk his own path, on-screen and online.