Jun 25, 2026 1:19pm IST
Vishal Bhardwaj, Eka Lakhani Among Indian Film Professionals Invited to Join the Academy’s 2026 Membership Class
Filmmaker and composer Vishal Bhardwaj, costume designer Eka Lakhani, casting director Dilip Shankar, editor Deepa Bhatia and multiple National Award-winning editor A. Sreekar Prasad are among the Indian film professionals invited to join the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences as part of its 2026 membership class.
The Academy has extended invitations to 529 artists and executives from across the global film industry this year. Membership carries voting rights for the Oscars, making it one of the highest professional recognitions in cinema.
The latest class includes 95 Oscar nominees, 21 Oscar winners and three recipients of Scientific and Technical Awards. Among the India-linked invitees are animation artist Avneet Kaur, production and technology specialists Farah Khan and Rajesh Ramachandran, and visual effects professionals Becky Graham and Jay Mehta.
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Academy members are eligible to vote on Oscar nominations and winners within their respective branches and, in certain categories, across the wider awards process. If all invitees accept membership, the Academy’s overall membership will rise to 11,319, including 10,338 voting members.
According to figures released by the Academy, women make up 42% of the invited class, while 56% identify as belonging to underrepresented communities. Additionally, 53% of invitees come from 60 countries and territories outside the United States, reflecting the organization’s continued push toward greater international representation.
The 2026 membership class also includes a number of high-profile names from across the entertainment industry, including actors Jacob Elordi, Teyana Taylor, Bill Skarsgård, Jenna Ortega and Josh O’Connor; Disney CEO Josh D’Amaro; filmmakers Benny Safdie and Josh Safdie; and casting director Cassandra Kulukundis, who earlier this year became the first recipient of the Academy Award for Achievement in Casting.
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Also among those invited are “Weapons” director Zach Cregger, Grammy-winning singer-songwriters Sara Bareilles and EJAE, managers Aleen Keshishian and Jason Weinberg, publicist Megan Moss, events producer Madelyn Hammond and awards strategists Jonathan Epstein, Josh Haroutunian and Emily Lu Aldrich.
“We are delighted to invite this remarkable group of film artists and professionals from around the world to join the Academy,” Academy CEO Bill Kramer and Academy President Lynette Howell Taylor said in a joint statement.
“Through their commitment to filmmaking, this year’s exceptionally talented class has made significant contributions to our global movie industry.”
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