The In Memoriam website of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences for the year 2026 has recognised late veteran actors B Saroja Devi and Kota Srinivasa Rao, among others from the South Indian film fraternity. Documentary filmmaker S Krishnaswamy has also been recognised on the website. From Bollywood, senior actors Dharmendra and Manoj Kumar have been included.
The In Memoriam page of the Academy remembers the artists and filmmakers who passed away between the two Oscar Award ceremonies. While these names have been added to the list, they were left out of the on-air ceremony. Robert Redford, Rob Reiner, Robert Duvall, Catherine O'Hara, and Diane Keaton were among the prominent Hollywood personalities honoured in the broadcast portion.
The best films and performances of the year were honoured at the 98th Academy Awards, which were held in Los Angeles on Sunday night (early Monday morning in India). While One Battle After Another took home six awards, Sinners came second after winning four awards.
Saroja Devi passed away at 87 on July 14, 2025, after battling age-related issues. Born on January 7, 1938, in Bengaluru, she debuted in 1955 with Mahakavi Kalidasa. Throughout her seven-decade-long career, she acted in over 200 films across languages — Kannada, Tamil, Telugu, and Hindi. She was honoured with Padma Shri and Padma Bhushan for her immense contribution to Indian cinema.
Kota Srinivasa Rao breathed his last at 83 on July 13, 2025. The actor made his debut in 1978 with the film Pranam Khareedu. In his 45-year career, he went on to act in films of the Tamil, Kannada, Hindi, and Malayalam film industries, in roles of villainous, comedic, or dramatic stature.