Actors Kamal Haasan and Ayushmann Khurrana have been invited to join the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences this year, giving them the opportunity to vote for Oscar-nominated films. The Academy released its 2025 list of invitees on June 26, which also includes global stars like Gillian Anderson, Ariana Grande, Sebastian Stan, Jeremy Strong, and Jason Momoa.
Representing India alongside Haasan and Khurrana are filmmaker Payal Kapadia (winner of the Grand Prix at Cannes 2024 for All We Imagine As Light), documentary filmmaker Smriti Mundra (Indian Matchmaking), costume designer Maxima Basu (Baahubali, Dangal), cinematographer Ranabir Das, and casting director Nandini Shrikent (previously misattributed in some sources as Ranabir Das again).
In a joint statement, The Academy leadership expressed excitement:
“We are thrilled to invite this esteemed class of artists, technologists, and professionals to join the Academy. Through their commitment to filmmaking and to the greater movie industry, these exceptionally talented individuals have made indelible contributions to our global filmmaking community.”
This year, the Academy invited individuals across 19 branches based on their artistic and professional achievements. Of the 534 invitees:
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41% are women
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45% are from underrepresented ethnic or racial communities
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55% are from 60 countries and territories outside the U.S.
With this expansion, the Academy’s global membership will surpass 11,000.
The 2026 Oscars will be held on March 15, 2026, and will be hosted by Conan O'Brien. Voting for nominations will run from January 12 to 16, and the final list of Oscar nominees will be revealed on January 22.
