It’s a proud moment for India as the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences — the organisation behind the prestigious Oscars — has extended membership invitations to 534 new individuals from around the world, including several prominent Indian artists.
Joining the list alongside global names like Ariana Grande and Mickey Madison are celebrated Indian personalities such as actor Ayushmann Khurrana, veteran star Kamal Haasan, acclaimed cinematographer Ranabir Das, and noted costume designer Maxima Basu, among others.
Celebrated Indian producer Guneet Monga took to Instagram to congratulate the Indian invitees. Sharing a list of names on her stories, she wrote, “Welcome to The Academy. The Class of 2025.” The names included Kamal Haasan, Ayushmann Khurrana, Ranabir Das, Smrithi Mundhra, Siddhartha Khosla, Adam J Graves, Payal Kapadia, Abhishek Nair, Ravi Bansal, Karan Mally, and PM Satheesh.
Notably, it is the biggest batch since 2020, covering a wide range of actors, comedians, cinematographers, directors, musicians and more.
Extending his heartfelt gratitude for the opportunity to represent the country on a global stage, Ayushmann shared a post on X and wrote, “Honoured to be invited to join The Academy and contribute towards celebrating excellence, perfection and disruption. Truly an incredible feeling to represent India, our cinema & culture at The Academy.”
“We are honoured to welcome this esteemed class of artists, technologists, and professionals into the Academy,” said Academy CEO Bill Kramer and President Janet Yang. “This year’s class embodies the diversity and global breadth of today’s film community, and their inclusion will continue to enrich the Academy’s mission and work.”
Other renowned celebs who have been added to the list include Sebastian Stan, Gillian Anderson, Jodie Comer, Emma Corrin, Kieran Culkin, Margaret Qualley, Andrew Scott, and Jeremy Strong.
Coming back to Guneet, she is already a member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. She was inducted as one of the first Indian producers to be invited to join the Academy in 2018. Not just this, she is also a two-time Academy Award winner. She bagged her first Oscar for Period. End of Sentence in the Documentary Short Subject category in 2019, and her second for The Elephant Whisperers in the same category in 2023.