Academy Must Enroll More Members From Bollywood

Indo-Americans Ask Academy To Enroll More Members From Bollywood

Indo-Americans have asked American Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to enroll more members from Bollywood and other film industries of India.

Acclaimed Indo-American statesman Rajan Zed, in a statement in Nevada (USA) today, said that India had the largest film industry in the world and thus it deserved more representation at the Academy. This gesture would bring more credibility to Academy and its Oscar awards also in the international arena.

Membership in the Academy is by invitation of the Board of Governors and is limited to those who have achieved distinction in the arts and sciences of motion pictures. India’s film composer-record producer-musician-singer A.R. Rahman (Slumdog Millionaire) and film sound designer-editor-mixer Resul Pookutty (Slumdog Millionaire) were recently inducted as Academy members.

Rajan Zed, who is chairperson of Indo-American Leadership Confederation, further said that cinema in India, based in Mumbai and various regional centers, reportedly produced much more films and drew much larger audience globally than Hollywood (which released only 610 movies in 2008). It was unfair for such an influential cinema not to have adequate representation at the Academy.

Academy, launched in 1927 and dedicated to the advancement of the arts and sciences of motion pictures, has over 6,000 artists and professionals as honorary members, including actors like Jack Nicholson (One Flew over the Cuckoo’s Nest), directors like Steven Spielberg (Schindler’s List), executives like Steve Jobs (Pixar), musicians like Elton John (The Lion King), writers like Ruth Prawer Jhabvala (A Room with a View), etc. Located in Beverly Hills (California), Tom Sherak (Rent) is its president, while Bruce Davis is the executive director. Silent film “Wings” (William A. Wellman) won the first best picture award in 1929, while “Slumdog Millionaire” (Danny Boyle) was the best film at 81st ceremony in February last. Katharine Hepburn (On Golden Pond) won record four awards in best actress category. The 82nd Academy Awards presentation will take place on March 7, 2010, in Hollywood (California).

ENDS

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