2021 · Film
Master
Tamil action drama by Lokesh Kanagaraj in which an alcoholic professor, played by Vijay, is posted to a juvenile home secretly controlled by a gangster played by Vijay Sethupathi.
Reviewed by Movie Mandala, Sun, 18 Oct, 2026
Where to watch
IndiaAs of 18 October 2026, Master is streaming in India on ZEE5 with a subscription.
The story
John Durairaj, known as JD, is a Chennai college lecturer whose students adore him and whose colleagues can't stand his drinking. After a campus election goes wrong, he is sent on a three-month posting to teach at a juvenile detention home. Years earlier, a boy named Bhavani was forced to take the blame for his own family's murder and locked up in that home. He has since become a gangster who makes its inmates take the blame for his crimes. Vijay and Vijay Sethupathi lead the cast.
Spoiler-free: only the set-up.
Who it suits
A long hero-versus-villain action drama for viewers who enjoy Vijay's star vehicles and Anirudh Ravichander's music. At about three hours and rated U/A, it includes brutal fights, drug abuse and violence against teenagers, so older children only.
Curation to help you choose, not a review.
Background
Master was due in cinemas on 9 April 2020, but COVID-19 theatre closures delayed it. It finally opened on 13 January 2021, a day before Pongal, with a Telugu version on the same day. The Hindi dub, Vijay The Master, opened in North Indian cinemas on 14 January 2021 and collected about ₹9 crore.
Amazon Prime Video bought the streaming rights and began showing the film on 29 January 2021, 16 days after its cinema release. Zee Network bought the Hindi version's streaming and satellite rights, and Vijay The Master began streaming on ZEE5 on 15 March 2021.
Worldwide gross estimates range from ₹220 crore to ₹300 crore. In 2023, the president of the Tamil Nadu Theatre Owners Association questioned these figures. Lokesh Kanagaraj won Best Director at the South Indian International Movie Awards, and Dinesh won the Filmfare Award South for Best Choreography for "Vaathi Coming". A Hindi remake was announced after the film's release.
The facts
- Language
- Tamil
- Hindi
- Hindi dub available
- Genre
- Action drama, Crime
- Runtime
- 179 min
- Certificate
- U/A
- Director
- Lokesh Kanagaraj
- Cast
- Vijay, Vijay Sethupathi, Malavika Mohanan, Arjun Das, Andrea Jeremiah
Questions people ask
- Where can I watch Master in India?
- As of 18 October 2026, Master is streaming in India on ZEE5 with a subscription.
- Is Master available in Hindi?
- Yes. Master was made in Tamil, and a Hindi-dubbed version is available on ZEE5.
- Is Master suitable for children?
- Master has a CBFC U/A certificate, which means children under 12 should watch with a parent or guardian.
- How long is Master?
- Master runs for 2 hours 59 minutes (179 minutes).