LONDON , England ( CNN ) -- The Screening Room went to the Theatre Royal in Drury Lane in the heart of London 's West End , where a spectacular musical version of `` The Lord of The Rings '' is enjoying a successful run , to meet Indian composer A. R. Rahman , whose blend of Asian culture with rock and Western classical styles has revolutionized the Indian film industry . And now Rahman is about to make his mark in Hollywood . A. R. Rahman , interviewed by CNN 's Screening Room . Virtually unknown in Europe and the U.S. , Rahman has sold 200 million albums worldwide -- more than the Beatles -- and is worshipped throughout much of Asia , where he 's known as the Mozart of Madras . Now he has added a Hollywood film score to his vast repertoire of movie music . Rahman explained to CNN what he thinks makes great movie music . `` A great soundtrack is like 'Laura '' s theme ' , the 'Love Story ' theme , 'Chariots of Fire ' and all those sorts of things , where it stood by itself , '' he said . But recently , he 's noticed a changing mood . `` Now it is becoming too abstract and more ambient and more ... I do n't know , soundscape-ish , more than melody . People are afraid of melody : 'Oh , that melody is distracting my scene , ' it is becoming like that . '' And that brings fresh challenges for the makers of film music . `` Now the challenges of the composer are much more , '' he told CNN . `` One needs to know of recording , production , it is not enough to compose a great theme and [ know ] how it can intertwine with the movie . And with Indian film it is an even greater challenge , because we need to be like Michael Jackson , John Williams , Hans Zimmer and an Indian folk composer all put together . So they expect finesse and they expect versatility . '' Rahman 's compositions are versatile enough to be used by both Bollywood and Hollywood , a case in point being his music for the Hindi film `` Dil Se , '' which was used almost a decade later by Spike Lee for `` Inside Man . '' But for Rahman , the process to create film music is being challenged by increasingly crammed movie schedules . `` There used to be a time where the director and the composer would work together , '' he explained . `` They would develop themes and the director would shoot a scene , but now the world 's so fast that people are finishing the movie even before going to a composer . '' As well as writing songs and scores , Rahman has featured in many Bollywood films singing the songs which are mimed by the acting superstars . He recently completed a sell-out tour of the U.S. performing highlights from his songbook to devoted fans . He explained to CNN how playback singing is a normal part of Indian film music . `` Well , until I worked in 'Bombay Dreams ' six or seven years back , I never realized that it is not cool to have playback singing . Until then , it was the story of Indian films where somebody else lip synchs and somebody else sings . '' And Rahman has been converted to the Western model , where those singing on-screen usually provide the vocals themselves . `` In my future projects I would rather have a star who sings , '' he said . Director Shekhar Kapur recruited Rahman and fellow composer Craig Armstrong to provide the score for Cate Blanchett 's sequel to `` Elizabeth , '' `` The Golden Age , '' which premieres at Toronto Film Festival in September this year . Kapur described the thrill of working with two such different -- and complementary -- composers . He told CNN , `` Here are two totally different cultures . Craig Armstrong is strings and heart , the skies , choir , angels and devils , and A. r. is modern , restless music . '' `` Just to get them together was very interesting for me . To sit there and see both of them jamming together , that was fascinating . They would n't talk , they would jam , and out of the jamming came the music . It was great . '' Rahman is still getting used to his new-found status as darling of both East and West -- and it leads to a somewhat chaotic lifestyle , as he explained . `` It is terrifying sometimes . I suddenly wake up in Scotland doing music for 'Golden Age , ' and suddenly wake up doing an Indian superstar film , but I think after all these years I am probably getting a balance . '' E-mail to a friend .
Composer A. R. Rahman has sold over 200 million albums worldwide . The film is the first in a trilogy of films based on his music and was released to critical acclaim upon its release in 2004. Rahman 's work includes the music for 'The Lord of the Rings ' stage production .