CANNES The Indian-inspired, rags-to-riches musical Bombay Dreams is about to become a major motion picture.

Indian director Deepa Mehta, best known for her Elements trilogy, will direct the movie.

Oscar-winner A.R. Rahman, who composed the score for the original stage production, will write new songs for the movie version.

Andrew Lloyd Webber, the composer behind such musical hits as The Phantom of the Opera and Evita, produced the stage version of the musical, which opened in London in 2002.

Monsoon Wedding screenwriter Sabrina Dhawan will write the script, the movies producers, Marquee Picture, said at the Cannes Film Festival.

The movie will be shot on location in India. It has not yet been cast. -AP