Bollywood actress Kajol and Tamil star Suriya are two of the celebrity names from India who have been invited by the Oscars film academy to become members.
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Science, the organisation behind the prestigious Oscars, has invited a total of 397 industry heads to be a part of the Class of 2022, which includes names such as Billie Eilish, Troy Kotsur, Anya Taylor-Joy, Jamie Dornan and Ariana DeBose.
Kajol has been a leading lady in Bollywood for 30 years, a feat few actresses can achieve in an industry where the balance clearly favours the age-defying patriarchy. Having debuted in 1992 in the romantic thriller ‘Bekhudi’, the actress tasted success early on in her career with a string of hits that include ‘Baazigar’ (1993) and ‘Yeh Dillagi’ (1994).
However, it was in 1995 when she had her breakthrough roles opposite Shah Rukh Khan in ‘Karan Arjun’ and the cult hit ‘Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge’, which continues to screen in a cinema in Mumbai even today.
Over the decades, she has carved a niche for herself in Bollywood with movies such as ‘Kuch Kuch Hota Hai’, ‘Dushman’, ‘Gupt’, ‘Kabhi Khushi Kabhie Gham...’, ‘My Name is Khan’ and ‘Fanaa’. Kajol will next star in actor-director Revathi’s family drama ‘Salaam Venky’.
Meanwhile, Tamil star Suriya is currently on a career high, earning accolades for his film ‘Jai Bhim’, which released last year and became the first Indian film to be featured in the Oscars YouTube channel.
As the son of actor Sivakumar, Suriya has carved a name for himself in the Tamil film industry that has made him one of the most bankable stars in a 25-year film career.
Some of his most notable films to date include ‘Nandha’, ‘Kaakha Kaakha’, ‘Perazhagan’, ‘Pithamagan’ and ‘Ghajini’. Several of his films have been recreated in Bollywood, including ‘Ghajini’ and ‘Singham’. Fans can see him in a cameo in ‘Rocketry: The Nambi Effect’, which releases in UAE cinemas on July 1.
If Kajol and Suriya accept the invitation, they will have voting privileges at the 95th Academy Awards, which will be held in Los Angeles on March 12, 2023.
This year, the Academy has said that 44 per cent of the 2022 class identifies as women, 50 per cent come from outside of the US and 37 per cent are from underrepresented ethnic and racial communities.
