Johnny Cash's track in Mohanlal's next goes viral

The latest teaser of Mohanlal's 'Karmayodha' has already hit the right note with fans, with legendary American singer Johnny Cash's 'Ain't No Grave' backing its stylish visuals. The teaser trailer has gone viral within a week, getting close to 1.2 lakh hits. The video's western hue is being praised by many, who view it as a perfect setting for the action-thriller's tone.This is the first time that an English track is being used in a Malayalam movie.
With the audience these days being critical about any outside influence and branding it 'copying,' the makers have also ensured to give credit to Cash's song claiming that 'It has been used for teaser purposes only.'
Karmayodha's director Major Ravi says, 'The idea of using the song came during the editing stage and I thought it truly complemented the Mexican-style footage that was used for the teaser. Though the song is a free template that's been made available by its producers to be used by anyone, we have also given the due credit.'
He says the song Ain't No Grave (To Hold My Body Down) also highlighted Mohanlal's persona of a firebrand police officer who is out to trace a kidnapped girl. 'His characterisation is similar to Denzel Washington's in Man On Fire, which is about a single man on a mission who doesn't play by the rules to reach there,' says Ravi.
Interestingly, Cash too was known for his rebellious nature and had often performed wearing dark clothing, earning him the nickname 'The Man in Black.' Mohanlal's character is also seen wearing a black attire in the teaser and the stills. Cash's track is popular among the youth in the state, with it being used recently for Quentin Tarantino's Django Unchained and by the WWE wrestler Undertaker as a prelude to his entrance theme in last year's Wrestlemania bout with Triple H.
The song's origin
However, what many may not know is that, though the track was part of Cash's posthumous album in 2010, it is in fact an American gospel song originally written by 'Brother' Claude Ely and was first heard onscreen in a pivotal scene in Paul Newman's 1967 cult film, Cool Hand Luke. The scene had one of Luke's comrades singing the song, while he's digging the hole as his punishment for his attempted escape from the prison.
M'wood's inspired by the West Mollywood is experimenting with teaser trailers like never before. Close on the heels of introducing an English track in the Malayalam movie Karmayodha, director Hashim Marrikar's Preview will have a teaser trailer in English with 32 singers from the Kerala-based band Rock of Ages. 'This will also be the theme song of the movie, which will be the perfect backdrop for the suspense thriller. We have also used western musical instruments for the song,' says Hashim. Gowri Lakshmi, the first female music composer in the Malayalam film industry and the composer for Preview, has penned the lyrics for the theme song and will also lead the chorus.
'The song has been set keeping the European symphony as the base,' says Gowri. Two music maestros, Branko Stark (from Croatia) and pianist Godwin Figueiredo, have also been roped in for the song.