Master (2021)

Master 2021: what to know before you watch

Master 2021 is a Tamil-language action drama directed by Lokesh Kanagaraj, who also shares the writing credit with Rathna Kumar and Pon Parthiban. The premise, as outlined on Wikipedia, follows an alcoholic college lecturer who accepts a three-month teaching assignment at a juvenile detention facility and comes into conflict with a ruthless gangster who uses the young inmates to take the blame for his crimes.

The setup sits between a mass star vehicle and a school-room drama, and that mix is what most discussion of the film turns on. It is worth watching how a star-led film handles a classroom setting alongside gangster-style conflict. We have not watched Master for this page, so we say nothing about how well the blend works.

Cast and crew

Vijay plays the lecturer, John Durairaj, often called JD, and Vijay Sethupathi plays the antagonist Bhavani. Malavika Mohanan plays Charulatha, with Andrea Jeremiah, Arjun Das, Shanthanu Bhagyaraj and Gouri G. Kishan in supporting parts, and Nassar in a guest appearance. S. Xavier Britto produced under XB Film Creators, in association with Seven Screen Studio and Jagadish Palanisamy.

Anirudh Ravichander composed the music, Sathyan Sooryan was the cinematographer and Philomin Raj the editor. The listed runtime is 179 minutes, a long sitting, and the Central Board of Film Certification rated it U/A.

Release date and where to watch Master

Master was released in cinemas on 13 January 2021, the day before Pongal, after its original 2020 date was pushed back by the COVID-19 lockdown. Amazon Prime Video premiered it digitally on 29 January 2021, about two weeks later, after earlier reports that Netflix had bought the rights; those reports were never confirmed. Check Prime Video's current catalogue for your region, as availability can change.

It will suit viewers who like big-star Tamil entertainers with a social-issue streak, and anyone curious about the director's star-led mainstream work. Those who dislike long runtimes should plan accordingly.

A note on timing: the film arrived in the Pongal window, which is a traditional release slot for big Tamil star films, and its digital debut followed within a fortnight. If you are watching years later, remember that the theatrical and OTT dates here describe the original 2021 run, not any current streaming arrangement, so check before you plan an evening around it, and that the film is best approached as a long, star-driven entertainer rather than a tight thriller.