Moscow, 1930s. A prominent writer's works are suddenly censored by the Soviet state and the premiere of his theatrical play about Pontius Pilate is canceled. He's kicked out of the Soviet Writer's Union, and quickly turns into an outcast with no means to survive. Inspired by Margarita - his lover, he begins working on a new novel in which all the characters are satirically reinterpreted from his life. The novel's central character is Woland - a mystical dark force who visits Moscow to revenge all those who caused the writer's downfall. As the Master sinks himself deeper and deeper into his novel, adding himself and Margarita as characters, he gradually stops noticing as the border between reality and his imagination fades away.
Ilya stutters a lot, and this interferes with everything - his personal life, communication with the child, work. In desperation, he enrolls in the course of the famous doctor Cherkasova, a guru in his field, whom patients consider a magician and wizard. There he meets new friends and a new love - a young girl Vera. But it turns out that Cherkasova herself likes Ilya, and she intends to win him over.