Oscar winner A. R. Rahman (Slumdog Millionaire) is developing studios in Los Angeles (USA) and London (UK), according to reports.

He reportedly already has studios in India in Chennai and Mumbai. With him going international, this will facilitate him to work with his music teams in Los Angeles and London. He reportedly said recently that he was in the middle of getting loans sanctioned for the project.

Welcoming Rahman's move of opening studios in the West, acclaimed Indo-American statesman Rajan Zed said that this would create more avenues to spread Indian music in the world and more opportunities for musicians of the West to indulge in the richness of musical traditions of India.

Rahman, also known as Oscar winner John Williams (Schindler's List) of Indian movie industry, launched his first studio for mixing-recording music attached to his backyard in Chennai in 1992. Starting piano training at age four, he began working at 11 as a keyboardist with a music troupe.

His about 3, 000 square-foot recording studio in Chennai named A. M. Studios and described as "tranquil oasis", is developed by "Studio 440" of Hollywood (USA) and took about three years to finish, whose skillful design blends traditional materials with modern technology.

Rahman, who has reportedly recorded sales of over 300 million, was called "Mozart of Madras'' by Time magazine. Rahman sees music "as a way to connect to spirituality and embrace it" and for "creating harmony in troubled times".