Our own AR Rahman is all set to write original music for the $8m musical Lord Of the Rings, which will open in the spring of 2005.

AR Rahman, who wrote the music for Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Bombay Dreams is expected to collaborate with the Finnish Folk group Varttine for the show. BBC reports that Rahman will write some of the songs and Vartinna some and the rest will be co-written by both composers.

Tolkien is supposed to have used the Kalevala, Finland's national epic of mythological songs, poems and stories, as inspiration for his books and the Elvish language he invented.

Tolkien's books which were written 50 years ago have gained immense popularity since the two films The Fellowship of the Ring and The Two Towers were released by New Zealand director Peter Jackson.

"This will be like nothing the West End has ever seen before," said producer Kevin Wallace adding that "We are recreating Middle Earth and we needed the music that goes with it to be unique. AR Rahman writes brilliant melodies with an exotic quality and we know he will write something which audiences will adore.".

BBC reports that the third film, The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King is due to be released around the world on 17 December.

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