vijay the master movie review

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After an impressive start at India’s box office, the Tamil-language film Master has hit Amazon Prime Video across the globe, and looks set to maintain the star power of leading actor Vijay . Two years after playing a charismatic soccer coach in Bigil , Vijay dances into the role of a charismatic professor in Master . He’s John Durairaj, aka “JD,” the Dean of Student Affairs at a prestigious college in Chennai. He’s so beloved that the students won’t turn up to events without him. And he’s so fond of a drink, that they frequently have to show up at his house and drag him there. It’s clear that Vijay’s faintly comical drunk act will give way to sobriety and a more serious plot line, but there’s plenty of song and dance to be had first, with an energetic score from Anirudh Ravichander.

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Director Lokesh Kanagaraj takes a typically leisurely approach while unfolding the narrative, which introduces the antagonist first, and in detail. Vijay Sethupathi plays it somber and straight as Bhavani, an orphan brutalized in a correctional facility who has become a powerful man and taken over the Lorry Driver’s Union. What sympathy we have for him evaporates as he’s revealed to be drugging kids and teens and co-opting them into his crime gang. Most of these come from the juvenile reform center in Nagercoil — a center that could really, guess what?, use a new Master. Preferably one with a moral compass as strong as his right hook.

Taking up the post, JD’s own path to redemption is far from smooth, with disturbing incidents creating higher stakes and inflaming his motive. These incidents also encourage much-needed emotional investment from the audience. But Master will still be most impactful for fans who already adore Vijay as much as the camera does, as it lingers on his dramatic entrances to each scene. While JD schools the pupils in “Personality Development,” his own character is, ironically, less developed than that of his arch enemy. There’s little to explain the devotion of hundreds of students, other than a cheeky wink and a willingness to roll up his sleeves and chase after the bad boys. In order to justify his alcoholism, he tells tall tales about his dark past, which — amusingly — are all based on plot lines from films. But when the real story is told, it’s brief and anti-climactic.

Female characters are sidelined, from Andrea Jeremiah’s PE teacher to Malavika Mohanan’s professor, but the boys in the penitentiary fare better. One, Unidiyal (Poovaiyar) has a particularly entertaining scene that reveals his intelligence as well as his backstory in one deft stroke. More of this precision would have been welcome in Master . But when the two Vijays line up for the final battle — one nimble footed and playful, the other grim and glaring — it’s easy to forgive and forget. Master may deliver its lessons with a heavy hand, but it’s got the charisma to see you through.

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Master Review: Vijay And Vijay Sethupathi Make A Winning Combination

Master review: with vijay and vijay sethupathi squaring off and kanagaraj orchestrating the duet to apportion equal importance to the two actors, the film tides over the bumps without turning turtle..

Director: Lokesh Kanagaraj

Cast: Vijay, Vijay Sethupathi, Malavika Mohanan, Shanthanu Bhagyaraj, Arjun Das, Nassar, Andrea Jeremiah

Rating: 3 stars (out of 5)

A great deal of superfluity creeps into Vijay The Master (the title of the Hindi version of Lokesh Kanagaraj's Tamil-language Master , released theatrically) and contributes to a film that feels avoidably bloated in parts. It is often apparent that the screenplay by Kanagaraj, Rathna Kumar and Pon Parthiban could have done with some pruning.

But with Vijay and Vijay Sethupathi squaring off in a rousing thriller, and Kanagaraj orchestrating the duet with a sense of proportion that enables him to apportion equal importance to the two actors, the film tides over the bumps without turning turtle.

You know you are in pure Vijay territory when the action hero sends a hip-flask sliding across a Metro station platform to prevent a train door from slamming shut and saving the bad guys from his ire. You aren't supposed to nitpick over little things out here. Go with the flow.

Let the infectiously energetic Vijay croon a kutti (little) story (in a wonderfully choreographed jailhouse song) but Vijay The Master is anything but 'little'. Neither is the film masterly by any reckoning. This despite the sustained flamboyance that Kanagaraj, editor Philomin Raj and cinematographer Sathyan Sooryan lend to the project, which integrates easy-to-grasp popular storytelling codes with a vigorously stylish structure that can withstand the weight of an overheated drama.

Especially striking is the way in which Vijay The Master plays off the arc of the protagonist against that of the villain while skillfully intertwining them through the lively rhythm of the intercuts back and forth between the two divergent worlds that the duo represents.

In a crucial 'turning point' scene in the film, one of the two men says to the other: "I am telling you nothing new but do hear me out, I am waiting." One whole half of the film is left at this point and we do find ourselves in the mood to wait and see how the rest pans out.

Admittedly, Vijay The Master says nothing new, but it certainly is worth hearing out. It abounds his action sequences that bring out the mental and physical characteristics of the two men. Both have the habit of sniffing into the lapel of their shirt between blows, but no two men could be as dissimilar as the two. Vijay wears out his opponents (until he decides to turn his kada into a weapon of offence; Bhavani blows them away, literally, with the power of his iron fist.

JD Sir (Vijay), an alcoholic college professor admired by his students for his easygoing ways but disliked by the management for his wayward nature, is an idealistic, if seriously flawed, loner. There is a ritualistic quality to everything he does, beginning with the grand entry sequence that has Thalapathy Vijay swinging into 'action' on a bus and a Metro train to stop two aberrant sons of a wealthy man from flying away to Canada.

Master Review: Vijay And Vijay Sethupathi on a poster

Waking JD up from a drunken stupor takes a ritual of another kind and the students of the college that has placed him under suspension have to resort to musical means to stir the man back to life. It is not until well into the second half that the audience is allowed to learn why JD hit the bottle.

JD spins stories about aborted love affairs but they are all borrowed from films stored in his memory. He goes to the extent of trying to palm off Jack and Rose's affair from James Cameron's Titanic as his own love story.

Opposed to this noble, well-meaning drifter is the uber-evil Bhavani (Vijay Sethupathi), who, like JD, is an orphan. At age 17 (the younger Bhavani is played by Mahendran), in Nagercoil, he witnesses his lorry driver father and his mother being burned alive by truck association rivals.

The ruthless Bhavani, who makes a living from the transport business, does not drink nor does he do drugs, but he runs a criminal empire that thrives on exploiting children at a government observation home through a network of accomplices within and outside the centre. Nobody in the observation home has ever seen Bhavani - he operates from the shadows.

Circumstances lead to JD taking over as the master of the drug-addled children. The job of reforming them is onerous. But we have a hero here who, in an allusion to his kabaddi player persona in Ghilli, uses the game to pummel Bhavani's men who have a free run of the home. One of Bhavani's key men is played Arjun Das, who was the antagonist in Kanagaraj's Kaithi ( Prisoner , 2019) - a fact that is referenced (in Hindi) in the line, " Hum toh hai awaara qaidi ."

JD and Bhavani interact only thrice in the course the film's three hours. The first conversation that they have is at the halfway point and it is entirely on a mobile phone that belongs to one of the baddie's henchmen. The second, too, ends before the two can see other's faces. Bhavani has his back to JD, who has a sharp object on the nape of the former's neck. The third face-off - now it is all-out war - is in the climax. It takes inordinately long to arrive, but it is a fitting finale to a classic, explosive clash between good and evil. What's more, it is punctuated with sly humour and rounded off with comments on the nature of politics and the kind of people that parties attract these days.

Because Vijay does not hog the entire limelight, it is possible for writer-director Kanagaraj to give the other Vijay in the cast full rein, which, in turn, enhances the quality of the build-up to the finale. With a villain (the man's fist are thanks to the blows that he rained on the wall of the observation home where he faced brutal torture on a daily basis as a teenager) primed to bring out the best - and the sternest - in the hero, the big climactic confrontation in an abattoir - one of Bhavani's businesses is meat export - is that much more impactful.

The film is littered with hat-tips to past productions starring Vijay himself and Kanagaraj's avowed idol Kamal Haasan. The latter's 1995 film, Nammavar , in which the Kamal played a righteous college professor, is one of the inspirations behind Vijay The Master .

In a back story that Nasser (in a special appearance) tells Charu, Selvam is mentioned as a professor JD met when he was at a loose end and benefitted from the association. Kamal Haasan's character in Nammavar was Prof. Selvam.

There are a few women in the story - Vanitha (Andrea Jeremiah, in a blink-and-miss role of an archery champ), rookie professor Charulatha Prasad (Malavika Mohanan, who makes an impression and not only because she has a better-defined place in the larger scheme of things; she exudes charm and confidence) and Savitha (Gowri Kishan), a student who wins the college election against the campus toughie Bhargav (Shanthnu Bhagyaraj) in a rivalry that mutates into romance.

Vijay The Master is overlong all right, but Vijay and Vijay Sethupathi make a winning combination. Buoyed by a fantastic score by Anirudh Ravichander, here is a film that, for all its flaws, is keenly aware of the star power at its disposal and seldom punches below its weight.

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Master Movie Review: Thalapathy Vijay and Vijay Sethupathi's Deadly Combo Steals The Show

In one of the high-octane sequences in Master, JD aka Master (Vijay) holds Bhavani (Vijay Sethupathi) captive without having a look at his face. He enquires about his arch nemesis without realising the fact that the same person is being held captive under him. The nail-biting outcome of the situation keeps the audience hooked on to their rivalry until the protagonist and antagonist finally have their ultimate showdown.

What's Yay: Thalapathy Vijay and Vijay Sethupathi's fiery screen presence, the energetic action sequences along with the wacky background score.

What's Nay: The predictability of the plot and the elongated screen time makes for some dull moments.

The plot revolves around Bhavani, a dreadful gangster making a juvenile correction facility his centre for all illegal activities. His own rough childhood makes him a sadistic criminal who uses the young boys at the juvenile facility to achieve his misdeeds. However, Master enters the scene to foil his plans. A free-spirited but carefree schoolteacher, Master gears up to lock horns with Bhavani after a tragic incident. What follows is a pumped up showdown between the two.

Kanagaraj fulfills the mammoth task of bringing in the fiery interplay between the two Tamil superstars in an impeccable manner. While Vijay's introduction is welcomed by a catchy background score, Sethupathi's terrifying demeanour is justified by some ruthless sequences bringing out the sadism.

However, Kanagaraj wins high with the epic showdown between the two Vijays, which makes way for an entertaining and energetic watch. The scenes depicting Master playing kabaddi to protect the kids at the correction facility or Bhavani settling scores with his enemies further set the pace of the plotline. The downhill of Master the film is that it gets predictable as it gets further. The plot becomes even more tedious, as the pace gets slower with some scenes which could've been edited out for good.

Performances

Vijay inevitably delivers some whistle worthy sequences, be it in his entry scene or in the one where he's all set to don his role of the 'Master'. His performance also includes some emotionally high moments wherein he brings out the right depth and intensity of the character. Sethupathi is the perfect balancing factor as the menacing Bhavani to Vijay's JD. Some of his scenes act as the main show stealer in the movie wherein Sethupathi depicts the frustration, terror and dreadfulness of his character with a minute subtlety. Malavika Mohanan as Chaarumathi has charming screen presence but does not have much room to perform. Her chemistry with Vijay could have been brought out in a more nuanced manner. Andrea Jeremiah as Vaanathi and Arjun Das as Das are convincing in their acts.

Technical Aspects

The cinematography by Sathyan Sooryan offers one of the plus points in Master. Some shots of the correctional facility add considerable depth to the characterisation and the plot. The action sequences score high in the way they are depicted and keep the adrenaline rushing. The editing could have been sharpened at some places in Master.

The music by Anirudh Ravichander plays a convincing catalyst to the plot in Master. The soundtracks like Kutti Story, Vaathi Coming and Andha Kanna are major plus points. The 'Beat of Master' background theme brings out the swag and energy of Vijay's JD.

Finally, Master makes way for a visual treat for the die-hard fans of Thalapathy Vijay and Vijay Sethupathi! Experience this one for the undeniable star power of the two Tamil megastars. We give Master 3 out of 5 stars.

Master Worldwide Pre-Release Business: Thalapathy Vijay Starrer Crosses 150-Crore Mark!

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An alcoholic professor is sent to a juvenile school, where he clashes with a gangster who uses the school children for criminal activities. An alcoholic professor is sent to a juvenile school, where he clashes with a gangster who uses the school children for criminal activities. An alcoholic professor is sent to a juvenile school, where he clashes with a gangster who uses the school children for criminal activities.

• Lokesh Kanagaraj
• Pon Parthiban
• Rathna Kumar
• Joseph Vijay
• Vijay Sethupathi
• Malavika Mohanan
• 1.3K User reviews
• 20 Critic reviews
• 2 wins & 10 nominations

Top cast 99+

• John 'JD' Durairaj
• (as Thalapathy Vijay)

• (as Makkal Selvan Vijay Sethupathi)

• Charulatha 'Charu' Prasad

• JD's Mentor (The College's Founder)

• Principal Ambaiya Samuel
• (as M. Alagan Perumal)
• (as Ciby Bhuvana Chandran)
• Young Bhavani
• (as Master Mahendran)

• Juvenile School Cook

• (as Gouri G Kishan)

• College Staff Member
• Thulukanam (Jail Warden)
• Essaki (Bhavani's Enemy)
• PC Aarumugam
• All cast & crew
• Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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Did you know

• Trivia Kollywood stars Vijay and Vijay Sethupathi work together for the first time in this film.
• Goofs The film is supposedly set in Nagercoil for the entire second half. But John Durairaj goes and thrashes the goons in Chennai and comeback to Nagercoil in the same day.

John Durairaj : Who are you? Who is behind this? What is your motive? Why do you use these innocent boys? I don't know any of this. But I will find out. Hiding behind these boys and framing them, neck deep in crime. I will catch those sissy fellows. I'll hunt high and low, find you and stand right in front of you. I will... I will make you answer for the death of those 2 boys.

Bhavani : Master, whatever I'm about to say is nothing new for you. Still I'll say it and you listen. I'm waiting!

John Durairaj : Wait. I will meet you face to face.

• Crazy credits The film's title card appears only after 16 minutes.
• Alternate versions In India, the theatrical release received a ''U/A'' (parental guidance) rating after 20 cuts were made. These cuts included where the addition of disclaimer of alcohol and smoking as well as drug usage have been made, the visual of liquor brand names have been blurred, 8 cuts in words which mostly includes profanity and 8 cuts of gory sequences have been made.
• Connections Features Pudhu Nellu Puddhu Nathu (1991)
• Soundtracks Vaathi Coming (Tamil) Music by Anirudh Ravichander Lyrics by Gana Balachandar Performed by Anirudh Ravichander , Gana Balachandar

User reviews 1.3K

• Jan 17, 2021
• How long is Master? Powered by Alexa
• is this movie 18+??
• January 13, 2021 (United States)
• Official ZEE5
• Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India (main location)
• X.B. Film Creators
• Seven Screen Studio
• B4U Motion Pictures
• See more company credits at IMDbPro
• ₹1,350,000,000 (estimated)
• $28,692,230

Technical specs

• Runtime 2 hours 59 minutes
• Dolby Digital

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Master movie review: Vijay delivers a largely entertaining star vehicle

Master movie review: with both vijay and vijay sethupathi in top form, lokesh kanagaraj's film makes for a perfect festival release..

Director - Lokesh Kanagaraj

Cast - Vijay, Vijay Sethupathi, Malavika Mohanan, Shanthanu Bhagyaraj, Arjun Das

Lokesh Kanagaraj is fast growing into one of the most exciting filmmakers in Tamil cinema. After proving his mettle with films such as Maanagaram and Kaithi, which worked even though they didn’t feature stars, Master is Lokesh’s maiden attempt at true-blue commercial cinema with one of the industry’s biggest stars, Vijay. He proves himself yet again, even if Master panders to Vijay’s fans more than the director's own.

In spite of some minor flaws, like the long-drawn second half, Master is a largely entertaining Vijay vehicle, anchored by a terrific central performance and an equally good supporting act by Vijay Sethupathi.

Watch the Master trailer here

Master opens with the spotlight on Sethupathi's antagonist, Bhavani, and it sets him up as an almost mythical villain who can kill anyone with a single punch. If you’re wondering how one blow can be so fatal, there’s a nice reason behind it, which makes it believable. The first 15-20 minutes are spent on establishing Bhavani’s character, and the story of how he built his empire with young criminals from a juvenile home. Just when one gets the feeling that Bhavani has almost become almost invincible, in comes JD (Vijay) – a hip, laid-back professor with a drinking problem.

Lokesh leaves his signature in quite a few places, but Master still feels like a Vijay film. Thankfully, it isn’t one where Vijay’s character is screaming heroism – which is the case with most of his movies. We get a very subdued lead character and it’s refreshing to see Vijay deliver a laid-back performance. He plays a guy with a serious drinking problem and it almost feels like Vijay was tipsy even while performing his scenes.

Master does, however, suffer from a heavy Petta hangover. Like Rajinikanth’s last film, Master is also set in a college campus. In both these films, the hero becomes a sort of messiah figure for the students. While there are other similarly themed films from the past, the comparison with Petta makes more sense because it was released recently.

Be it Maanagaram or Kaithi, Lokesh pushed the bar when it came to action. He doesn’t disappoint with the action in Master, but he does slightly go overboard. Possibly because he felt it’s a star film and audiences won’t mind some degree of overindulgence? The pre-climax action stretch, featuring both Vijay and Andrea Jeremiah, is a bit of a downer, especially when you compare it with a similar chase sequence in Kaithi involving lorries.

Nevertheless, both lead actors have ample space to shine, and Sethupathi, in his most effortless self, is once again a treat to watch. The film does dip in the second half and it occasionally gets tiring, but it’s the anticipation of the clash between Bhavani and JD that keeps the film alive. Their final confrontation is worth the wait.

Apart from the terrific screen presence of the two leads, Anirudh Ravichander’s music is one of the reasons why Master, which is the first star-studded release since the pandemic, warrants a visit to the theatre. With his background score and Sathyan Sooryan’s visuals, Master makes for a perfect festival release.

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‘Master’ movie review: Five takeaways from Vijay’s latest

A fantastic vijay and vijay sethupathi try hard, but a so-so screenplay makes their job difficult....

January 13, 2021 12:26 pm | Updated 06:39 pm IST

Vijay in ‘Master’

After all the hype, delay and drama, it is finally here: Tamil cinema’s first big-budget release after the pandemic. Theatres across Tamil Nadu and indeed India, welcomed Lokesh Kanagaraj’s Master to screens today, with hopes that the Vijay-Vijay Sethupathi action-thriller would revive their business after a washout in 2020. Without further ado, here are five key takeaways from an early screening...

Also Read: Get 'First Day First Show', our weekly newsletter from the world of cinema, in your inbox . You can subscribe for free here

Vijay finally finds an equal match in Vijay Sethupathi

When was the last time Vijay faced a capable antagonist on-screen? You’d have to go all the way back to Vidyut Jammwal in Thuppakki , and thankfully, VJS steps up to fill the long-standing void in Master . Sethupathi has the time of his life — playing an exaggerated, hammed-up version of his usual casual self — facing off against the hero, often providing some much-needed comic relief and banter. That he gets a solid amount of screen space to establish his character’s backstory and motive is credit to the director, though the star really deserved better dialogues.

Anirudh owns the film — hook, line and sinker

Master is the best-soundtracked big-budget Tamil film in recent memory, and Anirudh Ravichander should rightly walk away with all the plaudits. Several songs from the album are already chart-toppers, but Anirudh’s background score is the real winner here, with pulsating rock-heavy themes elevating many of the film’s action sequences and slo-mo moments.

The scene with the remixed version of Vidyasagar’s Kabaddi theme from Gilli absolutely brings the house down. If you have watched the latest promo released by the Master team, you know there’s something special in the works.

Lokesh Kanagaraj in fanboy mode, but screenplay disappoints

Vijay easily carries the film on his considerable shoulders, and Lokesh lets him, even playing to the gallery with a few homages to the star’s earlier hits. However, the script’s languid pacing is a far cry from the tightly-wound, electric screenplays of Maanagaram and Kaithi, which made both the director’s previous works so immensely watchable.

Vijay and Lokesh Kanagaraj on the sets of ‘Master’

At three hours long, the relatively simple storyline needed more spunk, more detailing… and definitely a twist or two more. A series of fights (though well-choreographed) do little to alleviate the gnawing sensation that Lokesh fell prey to the ‘mass-hero’ trap like many before him.

Arjun Das shines amidst a wasted supporting cast

Kaithi ’s villain enters the big leagues with his second film under Lokesh, and his piercing glares and now-iconic baritone voice create a real impact. The rest of the cast , including Nasser, Shanthnu, Gouri, Andrea Jeremiah (in the most random of... erm, ‘action’ cameos) and several others, appear in template blink-and-miss roles, though Malavika Mohanan does make an impression in her almost-romance with Vijay’s character of JD.

There’s a surprise package in the film though: Poovaiyar of Super Singer Junior fame!

Vijay gives his clearest response yet to entering politics

A couple of months ago, debates again started on the actor’s intention to join politics in the near future, when Vijay’s dad S.A. Chandrasekhar registered a party in November. Vijay was quick to distance himself from the All-India Thalapathy Vijay Makkal Iyakkam, and also categorically told his fans that he had no connection with this political outfit, directly or indirectly.

Though Master doesn’t boast of any political undertones (unlike Sarkar ), the film’s climax does have an emphatic answer from the actor to the mooted question, as well as a strong message to all his young fans: kick alcohol and drugs to the curb.

Read The Hindu’s detailed movie review of Master here

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Tamil cinema / reviews / Hindi cinema

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Master, Starring Vijay: Flaws And All, Lokesh Kanagaraj Delivers A Classy “Mass” Movie

Director: Lokesh Kanagaraj

Cast: Vijay , Vijay Sethupathi, Malavika Mohanan, Arjun Das

Dear Lokesh Kanagaraj ,

I am a fan. I love your Tarantino -esque approach to cinema, where you take a bit from this film and a bit from that film and make it totally your own. As Godard said: It's not where you take things from — it's where you take them to. In Maanagaram , you took the hyperlink format of narration and gave it a moral centre. You made a film where the anonymity of the characters (they weren't even given names) mirrored the anonymity of a big city. In Kaithi , a film I am less a fan of than most people, you took the Hollywood "genre" thriller (like a Die Hard ) and made a video game-like movie that moved from set piece to set piece. And now we have your most challenging work yet, Master . In a sense, it is easier to make a Maanagaram than a Master , because…

Because in a Maanagaram , you were new and your cast was (relatively) new and there were no expectations. Here, there's one part of us that's waiting to see "A Lokesh Kanagaraj Film". There's another part of us that's waiting for "A Vijay Entertainer". And I think it is to your credit that you have made something that's more the former. I can't say I loved Master without reservation (and I'll get to the problem areas later), but after a long time — probably after Mohan Raja's Velaikkaran — I got the sense of a "mass" movie that's classy. For one, I have not seen Vijay being this vulnerable in ages. Post 6pm, the character (a college professor named JD) turns into an alcoholic. A father-figure actually tells him he is losing control. JD is the kind of guy the Vijay character in a usual Vijay movie would end up giving a "drinking is bad for you" lecture to.

JD is, refreshingly, a bit of a dick. (A likeable dick, sure!) You don't sentimentalise the protagonist, like you did in Kaithi . In that film, I felt you cheapened the material with all that melodrama about a daughter waiting for her father. (I still wince whenever I think about that " jimikki scene".) But here, JD's past is dismissed in a flash, in a couple of dialogues by Nasser. What he was and why he became that way — that isn't as important as who he is now and what he is going to do. The way JD is woken up from his dickishness (by a tragedy) and a subsequent fight (which begins with a letter being torn apart) — these are superb examples of classy mass-film writing.

Even the hero-intro scene is classy. You follow the usual feet-back-face reveal format, but the way you shoot it is so cool, so different. That's one thing I enjoyed throughout Master : your infectious enjoyment in staging your scenes. In an early action stretch inside a train, when a man gets clobbered and crashes against poles and seats, the camera doesn't capture all this in a wide shot: it moves with the clobbered man, so we feel every bit of every hit. In another action scene, set in a college, the background is filled with people running, so there's a genuine sense of chaos. And in the climax, I loved how the camera does 360-degree turns around JD and Bhavani, but goes in much tighter than usual — we seem to be inches away from these men.

The palette is classy. It's  not the typical explosion of colours we've come to expect in a Vijay movie. This is a sober story, and the browned-up visuals are just perfect. But the classiest feature is the pre-credits set-up, which you recently said was your "signature". Vijay fans are probably going to hate me for saying this, but this is the best stretch of the film: it's about the birth of the villain, Bhavani (played as a grown-up by Vijay Sethupathi). We see a terrified boy who's just been orphaned, and he slowly transforms into a terrifying killer. The darkness in Sathyan Sooryan's cinematography is not just style : it's a reflection of the characters and the settings. Bhavani also gets the film's best masala touch, which feels almost… mythological . He has fists of steel. Bhavani uses his adversity to his advantage. Instead of succumbing to the torture he's put through, he becomes stronger. And what a fabulous touch that this strength results in him becoming evil !

So why, then, does the rest of the film feel undercooked? After such a great villain-intro, was it so difficult to write a solid heroine-intro scene? Charu (played by a visibly uncomfortable-looking Malavika Mohanan) has a very important role in transforming JD, in making him realise his destiny . But her scenes (like the scenes with Andrea Jeremiah, or Shanthnu Bhagyaraj, or even the sub-villain played by Arjun Das) come and go without any sense of a character arc . (They seem randomly inserted.) For that matter, even Bhavani, after his grand introduction, goes nowhere. I loved the Hitchcockian touch that we (the audiences) know who he is but JD doesn't, but you don't do much with it. The man should have been much more menacing. His actions should have made us feel he deserved that gory death, which beautifully echoes the very tragedy that awakened JD from his self-centred stupor.

It's fun to hear a KV Mahadevan song like Iravinil aattam play out during a key scene, like how you had a bunch of '80s Rajinikanth numbers in Maanagaram . It's fun to note the very Westernised music (Anirudh) and the very Westernised decor, from the LPs to Beatles posters — even the booze isn't TASMAC " sarakku " but a bottle of Jack Daniels (if I saw that right), which ties in with JD's initials. Above all, it's fun to note your continued Tarantino-isation (Godard-isation?) of Kamalisms: if the film's premise is a reworking of Nammavar (there's even a Sorgam enbathu -type "clean the college premises" segment), we get Sivasankar playing a character that has the same name (Thulukanam) as the character he played so memorably in Mahanadhi .

But these are for trivia buffs (and believe me, I am one). They can add to a screenplay, but they cannot become the screenplay. That's the tricky thing about postmodern game-playing on screen. On the one hand, we accept (and are explicitly made aware) that nothing is "original". But on the other hand, the narrative has to be strong enough to power through these "bits" and come together on its own. It's a great touch that Bhavani wears chains that denote all religions, but it would have been a greater touch had this quirk actually resulted in a payoff. Vijay Sethupathi isn't able to find a pitch for his performance. He remains a powerful physical presence, which might have been enough in the usual Vijay movie — but Master needed more.

And that, Lokesh, is the problem with Master . The conceptual boldness isn't fleshed out with the force and the conviction it deserves. Conceptually , it's a great idea to spend such a long time from establishing that JD is going to take over a correctional facility to the point where he actually ends up at that correctional facility. (And how nice it is to see Vijay actually play a character and not a pre-fab star!) But this screenwriting decision also means that the people we meet during this ( long ) stretch end up doing something significant, and they don't. Conceptually , it's a great idea to keep JD and Bhavani away from each other for such a long time. (And the scene where they accidentally "meet"  is a cracker.) But this screenwriting decision also means that we should be showered with fireworks when the final confrontation happens. Instead, we get something ironic, like a postmodern wink. Are you implying you are too cool to go back to old-fashioned showdowns? I wasn't able to make up my mind.

Also, the little flashbacks, where you end a scene before it actually ends and then, later return to the scene to show what really happened — they looked gimmicky. (They are like mini-hyperlinks, a pared-down version of your Maanagaram technique.) But that is also why I think Master is an important movie. (It's probably easier to write a thesis about it than a review.) You haven't just made "a Vijay movie". You have made a Vijay movie through the prism of "a Vijay movie", giving us what we expect but giving us those things in very unexpected ways. Take the children, who are always a very important component of a Vijay movie. But here, a child isn't just a cutie-pie sidekick for "family audiences" to smile at. He actually saves the heroine, while Vijay watches in astonishment. I nearly stood up and applauded.

So what about those who want only "a Vijay movie", something with sentiment and action and songs and romance (which is non-existent here)? I loved the staging of the songs, especially "Kutti Story". I loved the "comedy track" of JD narrating his life's story through the stories of various popular films (including one of his arch-rival's). I liked how his biggest punch line (about having crores of fans) is tied in with his character's earlier thoughts on politics and public service. But given that the film goes on for nearly three hours, Vijay fans may wish for more Vijay-isms. But that's what you are really going for here, right? It's not where you take Vijay from (i.e. his roots), it's where you take him to (i.e. your zone). I really liked that your protagonist isn't a Rambo -esque superhuman, like the one in Kaithi . You've made him a "normal man" who slowly discovers his destiny. He isn't born a man of destiny.

I like the auteurist streak in your films, where self-centred people slowly find themselves becoming selfless. To see that happen even in a Vijay movie is a sign that you aren't going to bend over easily for a big star. But it would have been even better had the writing conceits translated into more excitement on screen. I'm not asking for the amped-up "highs" we get in, say, an Atlee movie. You are going for something classier, of course, and you are still finding your way, your voice . As a filmmaker, you have arrived. But (unsolicited advice alert) as a writer, you may want to spend more time fusing your sensibilities with those of your stars'. I liked thinking about Master . I really did. I just would have liked to have enjoyed it more.  

Sincerely, etc.

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Release date : January 13, 2021

123telugu.com Rating : 2.75/5

Starring : Vijay, Vijay Sethupathi, Malavika Mohanan, Andrea Jeremiah

Director : Lokesh Kanagaraj

Producer : Xavier Britto

Music Director : Anirudh Ravichander

Cinematography : Sathyan Sooryan

Editor : Philomin Raj

Master is one of the most-awaited biggies that has released this Pongal. Touted to be a full-on action entertainer, this film has superstars Vijay and Vijay Sethupathi in lead roles. Let’s now see how the film is.

JD(Vijay) is a professor who is hated by the college heads. He is a drunkard who does not obey rules. After a big issue, he is sent to a correction center to handle young criminals. On the other hand, the correction center is managed by Bhavani(Vijay Sethupathi) and even cops cannot do anything about it. So, how will JD turn the tables and handle the dreaded Bhavani, and set things right for the youth is the story of Master.

Plus Points:

The setup of the film is good and has scope for Vijay to showcase his mass mania and he does that in full flow. Vijay looks handsome, showcases his body, and also dances superbly in all the songs. Hardcore Vijay fans will have a blast seeing their Master’s performance.

But the star of the film is Vijay Sethupathi. Somehow, his role is etched well by the director, and Vijay Sethuthpathi with his local look handles the role superbly. He has a better edge as his screen presence, and the animosity he creates with the scenes is top class. Whenever he comes on the screen, the audience will enjoy it.

Malavika Mohanan is neat in her key role. The climax fight between the two stars is just amazing and has whistle lowing moments for the fans. The Kabaddi scenes of Vijay, interval bang phone conversation, and Vijay’s intro are quite good in the film. Last but not least Anirudh kills it with his BGM which is superb.

Minus Points:

One of the biggest drawbacks of the film is the lack of hero-villain scenes. After seeing the trailers, one gets a feeling that hero and villain confrontation will be in plenty but sadly, that is not the case. Vijay and Vijay Sethupathi only meet in the climax. Their animosity should have been brought in much earlier in the film and more confrontations should have been added.

Also, individually, the scenes are good for both the stars but the story is simple and is not explained well. A correction center overtaken by the villain looks a bit overboard. There is so much lag in the film and at least 20 minutes could have been easily chopped off to make things better.

Lokesh Kanagaraj, who is best at showcasing gritty crime dramas is not at his best. He has done justice to the stars and handled them well but his narration has clearly taken a beating. The film is quite predictable and has nothing new to showcase.

Technical Aspects:

The production values of the film are top-notch. The camerawork is good and the jail setup is showcased in a very realistic manner. Dialogues are good. Dubbing for Vijay Sethupathi does not give the needed effect. The lyrics are neat and so was the production design showcasing the college set up. Music by Anirudh is top class.

Coming to the director Lokesh, he has not brought out the emotions well as Master is quite weak in the emotional aspect. A drunkard Vijay getting a transformation in jail is not showcased well and the emotions shown are weak during this time. Having two biggest stars, Lokesh in a way has wasted a solid opportunity to showcase their confrontations.

On the whole, Master does not live up to the hype and ends as a passable action entertainer. All those who go in wanting to see the star hero and villain tug of war will be disappointed. But fans of Vijay and Vijay Sethupathi will have a blast as the heroes shine in their respective roles. Story-wise, the film is weak, slow, and lengthy. As the festival season is on, the masses will like the film but others should go in with keeping their expectations quite low.

Reviewed by 123telugu Team

Click Here For Telugu Review

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• What is the release date of 'Vijay The Master'? Release date of Vijay and vijay sethupathi starrer 'Vijay The Master' is 2021-01-14.
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Master Review

Article by Satya B Published by GulteDesk --> Published on: 1:58 pm, 13 January 2021

3 Hrs   |   Family   |   13-01-2021

Cast - Vijay, Vijay Sethupathi, Malavika Mohanan, Andrea, Nassar and others

Director - Lokesh Kanagaraj

Producer - Xavier Britto

Banner - Seven Screen Studios

Music - Anirudh

Tamil film Master grabbed the attention even in Telugu States as Vijay and Vijay Sethupathi were pitted against each other. Also, Lokesh Kanagaraj, the director who made a brilliant action thriller Khaithi was another reason for the buzz around Master.

What is it about?

JD (Vijay) is a college professor who is liked by all his students but the management dislikes him because of his bad habits. He is sent to a juvenile home as a temporary tutor where the young kids and teenagers are used for the criminal activities done by a ruthless goon Bhavani (Vijay Sethupathi). JD has to confront Bhavani and set things right for those kids.

Performances:

Vijay is as stylish as ever. He adds some mass mannerisms to the professor character who always drinks. The way he adjust his pants and his lazy body language is good. Vijay Sethupathi steals the show as the bad guy. His presence is the saving grace in this otherwise boring action drama that drags a lot. Malavika Mohanan is just there for the sake of having a female lead. She didn’t get much to do and even Andrea plays a character that only makes her presence felt in the final action scene.

Technicalities:

Lokesh Kanagaraj is a talented filmmaker, but he fails as a screenwriter in Master as he couldn’t fit the mass superstar Vijay into his way of storytelling. He did make an attempt to present Vijay’s film differently from the usual, but it backfired due to one-dimensional story and dragging scenes. Anirudh’s background score is very effective in a few scenes. He had a ball in the scenes where Vijay gets those mass build ups and there are far too many of those. Cinematographer maintains the dark mood in tune with the theme. Editor didn’t make any efforts to shorten the runtime that turned out to be its major drawback.

Highlights:

Vijay Sethupathi and Vijay

A couple of interesting scenes

No emotional connect

Lokesh Kanagaraj tried to present Vijay in a different mass entertainer. There are deliberate attempts to show him different from his usual heroic stuff. Right from his body language to his unlikeable characterisation, Vijay definitely broke the stereotype, but the director couldn’t entirely show him as a regular guy. There are so many elevation scenes and unnecessary build up shots that not only get tiresome after a while but also eats so much of screen time.

Like Khaithi, the director doesn’t say much about the past of his protagonist. But the antagonist character has a proper backstory right at the beginning in an elaborate introduction scene. This is why Vijay Sethupathi’s character works because we know that he will do anything for what he wants to achieve. He is so ruthless that he doesn’t even show mercy on harmless kids. Also, his punch power gets proper introduction and is used in an effective way in many scenes.

First half is dedicated to establishing the main leads where a couple of scenes work. However, the college episodes and the initial scenes in the juvenile home are boring to watch. Intermission scene is effective where Vijay Sethupathi gets to say Vijay’s trademark interval dialogue ‘I’m waiting’. We expect a powerful confrontation between Vijay and Vijay in the second half, but Lokesh delays it until the climactic episode. The scene definitely is worth the wait, but it takes too long to get there.

Master would have worked if the director focused on getting the emotions right. Too much emphasis on Vijay’s style and his political aspirations may work for fans, but others wouldn’t connect much with the hero. In fact they may feel the villain is more entertaining than the hero.

Bottom Line: Weak Subject!

Tags Master Master Review Vijay Sethupathi

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• తెలుగు

Master Review: Lacks the Desired Effect

Movie: Master Rating: 2/5 Banner: XB Film Creators Cast: Vijay, Vijay Sethupathi, Malavika Mohanan, Andrea Jeremiah, Arjun Das, and others Music: Anirudh Ravichander Cinematography: Sathyan Sooryan Editor: Philomin Raj Action: Stunt Silva Art: Sathees Kumar Producers: Xavier Britto Written and Direction: Lokesh Kanagaraju Release Date: Jan 13, 2020

Tamil superstar Vijay and another talented Tamil star Vijay Sethupathi acted together for the first time for ‘Master’. This combination has generated expectations since its announcement. Plus, the film is helmed by ‘Khaidi’ fame Lokesh Kanagaraju.

Despite not releasing an official trailer, the film has managed to create hype in the Telugu states for this reason. Let’s find out its merits and demerits. 

Story: JD (Vijay), a drunkard professor conducts the student elections peacefully, teaching the students the importance of polls in a democratic system.

Hailed as a ‘master’, he gets transferred to an observation home for juvenile criminals in Warangal to set things right.

A shocking incident at this home makes him rid of his drinking habit and take on Bhavani (Vijay Sethupathi), who created a criminal empire by using these juvenile criminals for his heinous activities.

How JD handles Bhavani forms rest of the story. 

Artistes’ Performances: Vijay oozes style in every frame. In a righteous and a bit mysterious role, he has pulled it off well. Even at the end, his ‘flashback’ remains a mystery but he has convincingly played this part.

It is Vijay Sethupathi, who is known for spotless performance. He made yet another praiseworthy presence. He is excellent as the villain and a perfect foe to the superstar Vijay. His dialogues are peppered with sarcasm. 

Malavika Mohanan doesn’t get much screen time. She doesn’t get a chance to have a proper romantic track or full-length duet with Vijay. Arjun Das as Dasanna is effective.

Technical Excellence: Director Lokesh Kanagaraju is a solid technician, and he extracts, as was shown in his previous films, the best from the technicians. Sathyan Sooryan’s camerawork is splendid.

Anirudh Ravichander’s songs are not impactful, but his background score elevates the mood. He even provided signature music to both Vijay and Vijay Sethupathi.

The action sequences are a major highlight, and they are shot in a superior way. The film is too lengthy; editing could have been crisper. 

Highlights: Vijay and Vijay Sethupathi Certain action blocks

Drawback: College portions No emotional high Excessive fights Climax portions

Analysis Director Lokesh Kanagaraj’s previous film Karthi starrer ‘Khaidi’ won critical acclaim. It was entertaining and intelligently made.

Critics praised his writing and his different approach in narrating stories that focused on the content than the star image. Probably, this was the reason why superstar Vijay had agreed to work with him. 

He has begun the film in his style by introducing Vijay Sethupathi’s character, how he has turned into a shrewd and formidable rowdy in Warangal.

It takes nearly 15 minutes to bring Vijay’s character into the story. Until this time, Lokesh has played to his strength.

Once Vijay appears on the screen, and the story moves to a college drama, the director has lost his grip and balance. The entire stretch of college portions is shot in a lousy manner. The director has completely surrendered to the image of Vijay. 

Luckily, the story comes into the groove once the drama moves to a juvenile observation home with a perfect platform set for the face-off between Vijay and Vijay Sethupathi.

Post-interval, there are two interesting sequences – Vijay meeting Vijay Sethupathi in the most dramatic manner, and pre-climax scene. But, as the film progresses, we get the feeling that the director is trying to put one fight sequence after another to elevate Vijay’s mannerisms, stylish gestures, rather than telling a story.

Despite the action-packed second half, the film ends abruptly, without any high moment. ‘Master’ is entertaining in parts and strong performances from the two lead actors, but due to an unconvincing climax, the desired impact is not made in the end. 

On the whole, ‘Master’ is more of Vijay’s movie than a director’s film. It has style and swag but nothing else. 

Bottom-line: All Style, No Substance

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Tags: Master Master Movie Review Master Movie Rating Master Review Master Rating

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Vijay Deverakonda To Play Dual Role In His Next? What We Know

Curated By : Entertainment Bureau

Local News Desk

Last Updated: August 21, 2024, 17:23 IST

Hyderabad, India

The film is reported to be a period drama.

The untitled project is expected to go on floors by the first half of next year.

Vijay Deverakonda is considered as one of the leading names in South Cinema, known for superhits like Arjun Reddy and Geetha Govindham. Going by the rumours in the media, the actor could reunite with his Taxiwaala director Rahul Sankrityan for a period project. Here are all the details we know of. According to the reports, the untitled project is currently in its pre-production phase and is expected to go on floors by the first half of next year. It is being said that Vijay could appear in dual roles in the film, portraying the role of a father and his son. The backdrop of the release is set in the British period and the story will be told through scenes of flashback. The character of the father could be shown as someone who holds a lot of power. A confirmation on the reports is yet to be made by the makers.

Vijay Deverakonda and Rahul Sankrityan have previously worked in Taxiwaala, which was released in 2018. The film also starred Priyanka Jawalkar and Malavika Nair as the leads. They were supported by Madhunandan, Ravi Varma, Shiju and others. It is produced by Sreenivasa Kumar Naidu, Bunny Vasu, V Vamsi Krishna Reddy and Pramod Uppalapati under the banner of GA2 Pictures and UV Creations. Jakes Bejoy handled the music, while the cinematography was done by Sujith Sarang and the editor is Sreejith Sarang. Dubbed as a supernatural comedy thriller, the film collected over Rs 42 crore at the box-office.

Vijay Deverakonda last appeared in The Family Star, which is directed and written by Parasuram. The film starred Vijay Deverakonda, Mrunal Thakur, Jagapathi Babu, Vennela Kishore, Ravi Prakash and others. Produced by Dil Raju and Sirish under the banner of Sri Venkateswara Creations, the film turned out to be a box-office failure. It was released on April 5, this year. The actor was also seen in a cameo appearance in Kalki 2898 AD, highest-grossing film of 2024.

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