In a departure from conventional horror films, director Arivazhagan’s upcoming thriller Sabdham (Sound) promises to deliver a cinematic experience centered around audio elements. The film, starring Aadhi and Lakshmi Menon, is set for worldwide release on February 28, 2025, in Tamil, Telugu, Hindi, and Kannada.
“After ‘Eeram,’ where we innovated with water as an element, we wanted to experiment with sound in this project,” Arivazhagan said during the trailer launch event held in Chennai. “Creating horror through sound presented significant challenges. While it’s relatively easy to visualize a ghost in water, conceptualizing fear through audio elements required innovative thinking.”
The film reunites the successful Eeram team of Arivazhagan, actor Aadhi, and music director Taman S. For Aadhi, who plays a paranormal investigator in the film, Sabdham represents a significant milestone. “When I tell my friends about this horror film, they often look down on the genre until I mention ‘Eeram.’ Then they acknowledge how different and impressive it was. I’ve always wondered if I’d get another film like that, and Arivazhagan has delivered it again,” Aadhi said.
Producer 7G Siva of 7G Films, known for distributing over 225 films and co-producing titles like Draupadi and Rudra Thandavam, has spared no expense for this project, making it the highest-budget film in Aadhi’s career so far. “He understood the technical requirements of this film and provided complete support, telling us to spend whatever was needed to achieve the quality we envisioned,” Arivazhagan noted.
The technical team emphasized the film’s innovative approach to sound design. Audiographer Uday Kumar, who has worked on all of Arivazhagan’s films except Eeram, expressed his excitement about the project. “Usually directors say they’ve included a couple of scenes specifically for sound, but this entire film revolves around sound. It will give viewers a feeling similar to the classic ‘Oomai Vizhigal’ (Silent Eyes).”
Editor Sabu Joseph, who began his association with Arivazhagan 15 years ago with Eeram, described working on Sabdham as “playing cricket on home ground.” He added, “We’ve given tremendous importance to sound, and this will definitely be a different experience for audiences.”
Cinematographer Arun Padmanabhan, who started his career as an assistant cinematographer in Eeram, revealed that Sabdham holds special significance in his career. “This film is one of the most important projects I’ve worked on. We’ve put in tremendous effort as a team, with complete cooperation from everyone involved.”
The film also features Simran, Laila, and Kingsley in pivotal roles. Music director Taman S has created what the team describes as a groundbreaking sound experience that elevates the horror elements through innovative audio techniques.
“I believe my honesty has brought me this far,” Arivazhagan concluded. “This film will offer a distinctive horror experience that every viewer will appreciate.”