Oscar-winning composer Mychael Danna says the background score of Hindi films used to be "very over the top", but now, Indian composers are using background music in a sophisticated way.

Danna was recently here for the 18th Mumbai Film Festival.

Talking about Hindi film music, Danna told IANS: "The current crop of musicians is doing really good music. If there was even a flaw in Bollywood music, that was the background score of the film.

"Earlier, it used to be very over the top. It is good to observe that the music composers are using background music in a very sophisticated way. They are using the power of background music to narrate the story, conceptually."

He said the simple way to get a film's music right is to follow the narration. 

"Your musical thought has to follow the narration. The story is the president of your music in a film."

Sharing his musical influences, Danna said: "I am influenced by Indian music, whether it is classical or Hindi film music. I listen to all of them. Though I do not have any personal favourite, I have observed how Indian film music has evolved over time."