Jai Bhim and Soorarai Pottru-starrer Suriya is the first South Indian actor invited to be a member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences for the year 2022. Along with him, actor Kajol, directors Sushmit Ghosh and Rintu Thomas of Writing With Fire fame, and writer-filmmaker Reema Kagti are among the 397 new members invited.

The Academy said in a statement that the list includes artists and executives who have distinguished themselves by their contributions to theatrical motion pictures.

The selection is based on professional qualifications, with an ongoing commitment to representation, inclusion and equity remaining a priority, it added.

"The 2022 class is 44 per cent women, 37 per cent belong to underrepresented ethnic/racial communities, and 50 per cent are from 53 countries and territories outside the US," the Academy said.

While Kajol and Suriya have been invited by the actors’ branch, Ghosh and Thomas, whose ‘Writing With Fire’ documentary was nominated in the best documentary feature category at this year’s Academy Awards, are included in the documentary branch.

Kagti, known for Hindi films, including Talaash, Gully Boy and Gold, is set to join the writers branch.

Oscar-winner A R Rahman, Amitabh Bachchan, Shah Rukh Khan, Vidya Balan, Aamir Khan, Salman Khan and Ali Afzal as well as producers Aditya Chopra, Guneet Monga, Ekta Kapoor, and Shobha Kapoor, are already the Academy members.

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