After its successful release on the big screen, Vijay and Vijay Sethupathi-starrer Master has premiered on Amazon Prime Video. The film released in theatres on January 13. Directed by Lokesh Kangaraj and bankrolled by Xavier Britto, Master became one of the highest grossing movies globally in its opening weekend, according to the film’s team. But after such an ecstatic start, the decision of releasing the movie on an OTT platform so soon has left film exhibitors and distributors befuddled.
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The main issue that distributors and theatre owners have with Master’s early release on OTT is that they had no clue about this plan by the team. “We were all shocked. We would have actually made profits in the third and fourth week, and now this OTT release will eat into our weekend crowds. We are about to take a big hit,” Rakesh Gowthaman, owner of Vettri Theatres in Chennai, told indianexpress.com.
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The theatre owners feel betrayed and stated the same in a statement to indianexpress.com. Rakesh said, “It is ultimately a producer’s choice on what to do with his movie. But we need more transparency. If we were told that this film would come out on OTT within 20 days of its release, then we would have agreed upon different terms to maximise our profits.”
However, Master star Vijay Sethupathi is happy with this new move by Master makers. “With the film’s global digital release on Amazon Prime Video, we are hoping to reach a wider audience that’s been at home, and reach regions that otherwise wouldn’t have been possible,” the actor said in a recent statement.
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Vijay Sethupathi, who is known for his nuanced performances, also shared with PTI why he had given his nod to a mass movie like Master. The actor said it was his eagerness to learn from his more experienced co-star Vijay that pulled him to the script. “Whenever I work with senior actors, I go there like a student because I want to learn. I am never like ‘I have done so many films and I have so much experience’. He (Vijay) has been in the industry for more than 25 years. His fan base is massive and I want to learn from him, from his energy. That’s why I also worked with Rajini sir and Chiranjeevi sir,” Sethupathi said.
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Master is a very important film in Vijay’s career. It shows the superstar’s willingness to reinvent himself so that he remains appealing to the younger generation of movie-going audience. But, a part of the audience seems to feel that Vijay Sethupathi’s character overshadowed Vijay’s character in the film. How so? Director Lokesh Kanagaraj addressed the on-screen rivalry between Vijay and Vijay Sethupathi's characters in Master. READ MORE
@priyanwin tweeted, "#MasterOnPrime #Master First day first show...Loving it from Netherlands #ThalapathyVijay Forverrrr@actorvijay."
Ramesh Bala tweeted last night, "If you are feeling bad about not being able to go to theatres, well then let’s celebrate here.. Cause Vaathi Coming! The show starts at 12AM! @PrimeVideoIN #MasterOnPrime #FirstDayFirstStream #PrimeVideo."
In a career of 40 to 50 films, Sethupathi has done negative roles in very few movies, including superstar Rajinikanth’s Petta and Master, which features him opposite industry senior, ‘Thalapathy’ Vijay.
In Master, Vijay Sethupathi’s revenge-driven gangster uses children of a juvenile correction facility for criminal activities. His business comes under attack when an alcoholic professor (Vijay) is sent to the facility. Sethupathi said he trusted director Lokesh Kanagaraj’s vision for the character that allowed him to explore dark emotions. READ MORE
Vijay starrer Master is streaming on Amazon Prime Video.
Indianexrpess.com film critic Manoj Kumar R gave the film two and a half stars. He wrote in his review, "One of Lokesh Kanagaraj’s discernable qualities as a storyteller is the discipline with which he approaches a subject. And that discipline is conspicuous by its absence in Master. Master is neither a nail-biter like Maanagaram nor a pacy thriller like Kaithi." READ FULL MASTER REVIEW HERE
Girish Johar, a well-known producer and trade analyst, shared in an interview with indianexpress.com, "I think it is a little too early to release on OTT. There should be a set of norms that need to be settled among the makers, OTT (platforms), and exhibitors to avoid unnecessary confusion." He opined that the producers still had the time to renegotiate the terms with the streaming platform and push the film’s OTT premiere by at least two weeks. “This is more of a personal choice of the makers,” Johar added.
In an interview with indianexpress.com, Rakesh Gowthaman, owner of Vettri Theatres in Chennai, said, "We were all shocked. We would have actually made profits in the third and fourth week, and now this OTT release will eat into our weekend crowds. We are about to take a big hit." The main grievance of the exhibitors of Master is they were kept in the dark about the film’s OTT release strategy. “We had no idea,” said Tirupur Subramaniam, President of Tamil Nadu Theatre Owners’ Association.
Vijay Sethupathi, shared in a statement, it is "extremely fulfilling" to have the film’s global digital release on Amazon Prime Video. "With the film’s global digital release on Amazon Prime Video, we are hoping to reach a wider audience that’s been at home, and reach regions that otherwise wouldn’t have been possible," he added.
Master star Vijay said he is "glad" that fans can enjoy the film on Amazon Prime Video in India and across the world. "I am certain that the interesting duel between John and Bhavani will take the audiences on a roller-coaster ride of action and drama,” the actor said in a statement.
Tamil action thriller Master, starring ‘Thalapathy’ Vijay and Vijay Sethupathi, is now streaming on Amazon Prime Video. The film, written and directed by Lokesh Kanagaraj and produced by Xavier Britto, released in theatres on January 13 during Pongal holiday. Master follows John Durairaj (Vijay), an alcoholic professor who is sent to a juvenile correctional centre, where he clashes with a gangster named Bhavani (Vijay Sethupathi), who uses the children of the correctional centre for criminal activities.
@Esakiappan123 shared via Twitter, "Watching Only For Thalapathy @actorvijay Anna???? #MasterOnJan29th #MasterFilm #masteronamazonprime."
@dir_vignesh tweeted, "Happiness is seeing #MasterFilm countless times of #ThalapathyVijay intro scene and Bhavani and Kutty Bhavani entry scene on @PrimeVideoIN @Actor_Mahendran @actorvijay @VijaySethuOffl @MalavikaM_ @Dir_Lokesh @iam_arjundas #MasterOnPrime."
@SupaStrikas_ took to Twitter to post, "Hard to accept the fact that couldn't watch #MasterFilm in theatre but its okay we are welcoming ENGGAL THALAPATHY with @PrimeVideoIN. Vaathi Coming Oththeyyy Thalapathy @actorvijay dharisanam today #MasterOnPrime #MasterMalaysia #MasterInMalaysia."