BOMBAY DREAMS was absolutely eligible for a best score nomination, and it was completely original. All of the material was written directly for the show and nothing else.
Your friend might have known some of the songs, because in certain areas of high Indian population, they released some songs on the radio as singles - that's why they had an Indian pop star sing "Shakalaka Baby" for use in both the West End and Broadway productions of the show.
The show had been in London for atleast a year before. That has nothing to do with whether a score is original or not.
Zoran: Really? I thought it was pitiful in London. Absolutely terrible. I thought the cast was better in NY, the sets were better, the arrangements were better, the costumes were better, and the book was better.
Seriously, the score was not nominated because there was actual competition that year. And, Andrew Lloyd Webber isn't exactly favored by any big wigs.
"If you are going to do something, do it well. And leave something witchy."
-Charlie Manson