The audio and trailer of Aazhi, a crime thriller starring Sarathkumar, were launched at an event in Chennai ahead of the film’s worldwide release on February 27. The event brought together the film’s cast and crew alongside guests including South Indian Film Chamber of Commerce president Ravi Kottarakara and director Uday Sankaran.
Aazhi marks the Tamil debut of Malayalam director Madhav Ramadasan, who previously helmed Mel Vilasam, Apothecary and Ilayaraja in Malayalam. The film is set largely at sea, with about 70 percent of the story unfolding on a fishing boat. To bring this to life, the production team constructed a full-scale vessel indoors and used hydraulic technology to simulate the movement of the ocean.
“It’s a unique story, mostly set on a fishing boat,” Sarathkumar said at the event. “I asked the director how he would visualise this on screen. When he told me they had planned everything meticulously, I could see his commitment right away.” Sarathkumar added that Aazhi forgoes songs and dances in favour of raw storytelling. “Many films come with all the commercial elements. This one doesn’t have that kind of spectacle, but the story itself is grand.”
Sarathkumar also revealed that he plays a character with negative shades in the film, noting that audience expectations around heroes have shifted. He described the emotional core of Aazhi as the relationship between two characters trapped inside a fishing vessel. “What matters most is the emotional exchange between those two characters inside the boat. It will be a different experience for audiences,” he said.
A notable talking point was the involvement of Oscar-winning sound designer Resul Pookutty, who has mixed the film three times. Given that 70 percent of the story unfolds at sea, sound design carries particular weight. “Have you ever heard the sound of the ocean, not just its waves?” producer Ravi Kottarakara asked the audience. “Resul Pookutty makes you hear it in this film.” Pookutty himself praised the commitment of South Indian filmmakers, noting that such a daring approach to sound was rare elsewhere. Recording the bark of a Belgian Malinois dog featured in the film proved so challenging that one of his microphones was damaged in the process.
Director Madhav Ramadasan said making a Tamil film had been a long-held ambition. “Before this, I directed three films in Malayalam. The time was right, and Aazhi came together,” he said. He recalled Sarathkumar’s dedication to the role, noting that the actor would call him at 3 AM during the shoot to discuss his character. “He understood the nuances of the role and gave it everything.”
Among the supporting cast, Devika Sathish plays Sarathkumar’s daughter in what is her third Tamil film. “He treated me like a father on set too, offering advice with genuine care,” she said. Co-star Indrajith Jagan called working with Sarathkumar unforgettable, praising his punctuality and discipline. Vaiyapuri, who last worked with Sarathkumar over two decades ago, said he was glad to reunite. Thamarai Selvi, who joined the cast after her stint on Bigg Boss, thanked the director for the opportunity.
Aazhi is produced by Sajith Krishnan under 888 Productions and Celluloid Creations, with music by Jessy Gift and cinematography by Anand N. Nair. The film also features Sreejith Ravi and Nikhil Murugan in key roles.