India, March 18 -- The 2026 Academy Awards may be done and dusted, but the controversy surrounding its In Memoriam segment refuses to die down. The show's producers have come under fire for leaving out several prominent names, including veteran star Dharmendra, from the televised tribute. Amid the growing backlash, broadcast executive Rob Mills, who oversees the telecast, weighed in on the criticism, defending the segment as one of the most complex and challenging aspects of putting the show together.

During an interview with Variety, Rob Mills, Walt Disney Television's EVP of unscripted and alternative entertainment, defended the decision to omit some names from the In Memoriam segment during the Oscars 2026 broadcast.

Rob was asked ab...