Alia Bhatt and Hrithik Roshan join the list of 819 individuals invited to be part of the Oscar academy

Alia Bhatt is among the 819 individuals who have been invited to join The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences in 2020. This means that Bhatt, who has in the past been acclaimed for playing several noteworthy roles on the silver screen, will have voting rights at the 93rd Academy Awards (scheduled for April 25, 2021), if she decides to accept the invitation. 

Talking about the unifying power of cinema, the star took to Instagram to express her gratitude for the invite, saying, “There is also a deep satisfaction in seeing that the voice of Indian cinema is finding a very well deserved platform on the world stage. Every year, more actors, filmmakers and technicians from India are recognized by the Academy and Indian cinema continues to reach the hearts and homes of people all over the world.” 

Other prominent Indian artists who have been invited this time include Hrithik Roshan, documentary filmmakers Nishtha Jain and Amit Madheshiya, casting director Nandini Shrikent, designer Neeta Lulla, and visual effects supervisors Vishal Anand and Sandeep Kamal.

This isn't the first time Indian names have been mentioned in the list of members of the Academy. Back in 2016, the likes of Shah Rukh Khan, Tabu , Naseeruddin Shah and Aditya Chopra also joined the Oscar family.

In an official statement, The Academy revealed that its 2020 panel is “45 per cent women, 36 per cent underrepresented ethnic/racial communities, and 49 per cent international from 68 countries. There are 75 Oscar nominees, including 15 winners, and five recipients of Scientific and Technical Awards.”

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