View source for Karthik Dial Seytha Yenn

{{short description|2020 Indian Tamil-language short film directed by Gautham Vasudev Menon}}
{{Use Indian English|date=August 2021}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2021}}
{{Infobox film
| image          = Karthik Dial Seytha Yenn.jpg
| caption        = Title card
| director       = [[Gautham Vasudev Menon]]
| producer       = Gautham Vasudev Menon
| writer         = Gautham Vasudev Menon
| starring       = {{ubl|[[Silambarasan]]|[[Trisha Krishnan]]}}
| editing        = [[Anthony (film editor)|Anthony]]
| music          = [[A. R. Rahman]]
| cinematography = Gautham Vasudev Menon<br/>Silambarasan
| studio         = [[Ondraga Entertainment]]
| released       = {{film date|2020|5|21|df=yes|[[YouTube]]}}
| runtime        = 12 minutes
| country        = India
| language       = Tamil
}}
'''''Karthik Dial Seytha Yenn''''' ({{translation|The number Karthik dialed}}) is a 2020 Indian [[Tamil language|Tamil]]-language [[short film]] written and directed by [[Gautham Vasudev Menon]]. A sequel to his feature film ''[[Vinnaithaandi Varuvaayaa]]'' (2010), it stars [[Silambarasan]] and [[Trisha Krishnan]] reprising their roles from that film. The short was released on 21 May 2020 on [[YouTube]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=K |first=Janani |date=22 May 2020 |title=Karthik Dial Seytha Yenn out: Trisha and Simbu bring back Vinnaithandi Varuvaya memories |url=https://www.indiatoday.in/movies/regional-cinema/story/karthik-dial-seytha-yenn-out-trisha-and-simbu-bring-back-vinnaithandi-varuvaya-memories-1680287-2020-05-21 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200607125210/https://www.indiatoday.in/movies/regional-cinema/story/karthik-dial-seytha-yenn-out-trisha-and-simbu-bring-back-vinnaithandi-varuvaya-memories-1680287-2020-05-21 |archive-date=7 June 2020 |access-date=21 May 2020 |website=[[India Today]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=8 May 2020 |title=Trisha stars in Gautham Menon's short film, 'Karthik Dial Seytha Yenn' |work=[[The Hindu]] |url=https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/movies/trisha-stars-in-gautham-menons-short-film-karthik-dial-seytha-yenn/article31555659.ece |url-status=live |access-date=21 May 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200520092947/https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/movies/trisha-stars-in-gautham-menons-short-film-karthik-dial-seytha-yenn/article31555659.ece |archive-date=20 May 2020}}</ref>

== Plot ==
Filmmaker Karthik is at home during the [[COVID-19 pandemic in Tamil Nadu]] without work as [[Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on cinema|theatres are shut down]], affecting his career as a screenwriter, While experiencing [[writer's block]], he hesitantly calls his ex-girlfriend Jessie, who fled the effects of [[COVID-19 pandemic in New York City|the pandemic in New York City]] and is under [[COVID-19 lockdown in India|lockdown]] in Kerala. Jessie, who is now married to Roy with two children, answers Karthik's call and tells him about their lives during the lockdown situation. In the conversation, Karthik again confesses his love for Jessie and says he still needs her, despite knowing that she is married with children. But Jessie refuses his proposal as she has moved on with her husband and refers to him as her "third child". Jessie supports Karthik emotionally and says that he is a great artist. After the phone call, Karthik resumes his writing and composes ''Kamal & Kadambari: A Love Story''.

== Cast ==
*[[Silambarasan]] as Karthik Sivakumar
*[[Trisha Krishnan]] as Jessie Thekekuthu

== Production ==
Gautham Vasudev Menon was working on the sequel of ''[[Vinnaithaandi Varuvaayaa]]'' which was titled ''Ondraga'', a [[road movie]] which would focus on Karthik and his best friends from college travelling to the United States to attend a wedding ten years after the events of the first film.<ref>{{Cite web |date=21 February 2018 |title=Gautham Menon and R Madhavan team up for 'Vinnaithaandi Varuvaayaa' sequel |url=https://scroll.in/reel/869484/gautham-menon-and-r-madhavan-team-up-for-vinnaithaandi-varuvaayaa-sequel |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210427210536/https://scroll.in/reel/869484/gautham-menon-and-r-madhavan-team-up-for-vinnaithaandi-varuvaayaa-sequel |archive-date=27 April 2021 |access-date=19 May 2021 |website=[[Scroll.in]]}}</ref> With Silambarasan reprising his role from the earlier film, and pulling out prominent names from [[Cinema of South India|South Indian film fraternity]], the film entered production in February 2018.{{Citation needed|date=August 2025}} However, the project did not materialise due to various reasons.{{Citation needed|date=August 2025}} In April 2020, Silambarasan and Gautham Menon started shooting for the short film based on the characters from ''Vinnaithaandi Varuvayaa'', eventually titled as ''Karthik Dial Seytha Yenn''.<ref>{{Cite web |date=16 May 2020 |title=Simbu to join Gautham Menon for VTV 2? |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/tamil/movies/news/simbu-to-join-gautham-menon-for-vtv-2/articleshow/75773440.cms |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200518233750/https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/tamil/movies/news/simbu-to-join-gautham-menon-for-vtv-2/articleshow/75773440.cms |archive-date=18 May 2020 |access-date=18 May 2021 |website=[[The Times of India]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=13 May 2020 |title=Kathik Dial Seytha Yenn: Simbu shoots for Trisha and Gautham Menon's short film from home |url=https://www.indiatoday.in/movies/regional-cinema/story/kathik-dial-seytha-yenn-simbu-shoots-for-trisha-and-gautham-menon-s-short-film-from-home-1677465-2020-05-13 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201029134805/https://www.indiatoday.in/movies/regional-cinema/story/kathik-dial-seytha-yenn-simbu-shoots-for-trisha-and-gautham-menon-s-short-film-from-home-1677465-2020-05-13 |archive-date=29 October 2020 |access-date=6 August 2021 |website=[[India Today]]}}</ref> The film was primarily shot using an [[iPhone]] and filmed indoors due to the restrictions in order to curb [[COVID-19]].<ref name="unrequited">{{Cite news |last=Sunder |first=Gautam |date=22 May 2020 |title='Karthik Dial Seytha Yenn': A letter to unrequited love, and then some |url=https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/movies/karthik-dial-seytha-yenn-a-letter-to-unrequited-love-and-then-some/article31636643.ece |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20200521051003/https://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/movies/karthik-dial-seytha-yenn-a-letter-to-unrequited-love-and-then-some/article31636643.ece |archive-date=21 May 2020 |access-date=22 May 2020 |work=[[The Hindu]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=23 May 2020 |title=Gautham Menon posts a BTS video from Simbu-Trisha's short |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/tamil/movies/news/gautham-menon-posts-a-bts-video-from-simbu-trishas-short/articleshow/75917395.cms |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200527060252/https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/tamil/movies/news/gautham-menon-posts-a-bts-video-from-simbu-trishas-short/articleshow/75917395.cms |archive-date=27 May 2020 |access-date=18 May 2021 |website=[[The Times of India]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=K. |first=Janani |date=23 May 2020 |title=Karthik Dial Seytha Yenn: Gautham Menon shares BTS video of Simbu |url=https://www.indiatoday.in/movies/regional-cinema/story/karthik-dial-seytha-yenn-gautham-menon-shares-bts-video-of-simbu-1681099-2020-05-23 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210204025149/https://www.indiatoday.in/movies/regional-cinema/story/karthik-dial-seytha-yenn-gautham-menon-shares-bts-video-of-simbu-1681099-2020-05-23 |archive-date=4 February 2021 |access-date=6 August 2021 |website=[[India Today]]}}</ref> [[A. R. Rahman]] composed background music for the short film.<ref>{{Cite web |date=17 May 2020 |title=AR Rahman joins Gautham Menon for Karthi Dial Seytha Yenn |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/tamil/music/ar-rahman-joins-gautham-menon-for-karthi-dial-seytha-yenn/articleshow/75789693.cms |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210518170707/https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/tamil/music/ar-rahman-joins-gautham-menon-for-karthi-dial-seytha-yenn/articleshow/75789693.cms |archive-date=18 May 2021 |access-date=18 May 2021 |website=[[The Times of India]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=K. |first=Janani |date=16 May 2020 |title=Karthik Dial Seytha Yenn: AR Rahman to compose for Trisha-Simbu's lockdown short film |url=https://www.indiatoday.in/movies/regional-cinema/story/karthik-dial-seytha-yenn-ar-rahman-to-compose-for-trisha-simbu-s-lockdown-short-film-1678631-2020-05-16 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210506011807/https://www.indiatoday.in/movies/regional-cinema/story/karthik-dial-seytha-yenn-ar-rahman-to-compose-for-trisha-simbu-s-lockdown-short-film-1678631-2020-05-16 |archive-date=6 May 2021 |access-date=6 August 2021 |website=[[India Today]]}}</ref>

== Release ==
The teaser of the short was unveiled by actress [[Trisha (actress)|Trisha]] through social media handles on 7 May 2020.<ref name="lockdown short film">{{Cite web |date=7 May 2020 |title=Karthik Dial Seytha Yenn: Trisha releases teaser of lockdown short film |url=https://www.indiatoday.in/movies/regional-cinema/story/karthik-dial-seytha-yenn-trisha-releases-teaser-of-lockdown-short-film-1676462-2020-05-10 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200518225643/https://www.indiatoday.in/movies/regional-cinema/story/karthik-dial-seytha-yenn-trisha-releases-teaser-of-lockdown-short-film-1676462-2020-05-10 |archive-date=18 May 2020 |access-date=21 May 2020 |website=[[India Today]]}}</ref> The short film was released through the [[YouTube]] channel of [[Gautham Vasudev Menon|Ondraga Entertainment]] on 21 May 2020.<ref>{{Cite web |date=21 May 2020 |title=Gautham Menon's Karthik Dial Seytha Yenn is out |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/tamil/movies/news/karthik-dial-seytha-yenn-is-out/articleshow/75861361.cms |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210518170708/https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/tamil/movies/news/karthik-dial-seytha-yenn-is-out/articleshow/75861361.cms |archive-date=18 May 2021 |access-date=18 May 2021 |website=[[The Times of India]]}}</ref>

== Critical reception ==
The short received mixed reviews.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |date=26 May 2020 |title=Karthik Dial Seytha Yenn is Karthik and Jessie's Story And Should Be Seen Like That: Gautham Vasudev Menon |url=https://www.filmcompanion.in/interviews/tamil-interview/tamil-movies-karthik-dial-seytha-yenn-is-karthik-and-jessies-story-and-should-be-seen-like-that-gautham-vasudev-menon-baradwaj-rangan-str-trisha/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210629223810/https://www.filmcompanion.in/interviews/tamil-interview/tamil-movies-karthik-dial-seytha-yenn-is-karthik-and-jessies-story-and-should-be-seen-like-that-gautham-vasudev-menon-baradwaj-rangan-str-trisha/ |archive-date=29 June 2021 |access-date=6 August 2021 |website=[[Film Companion]]}}</ref> Kirubhakar Purushothaman of ''[[Cinema Express]]'' said, "The filmmaking is minimalistic with not-so-seamless cuts. Of course, one is expected to cut slack for the film given the immense constraints the team has made this under. But it's a paradox when you realise there would have been no ''Karthik Dial Seytha Yenn'' without the coronavirus or the constraints."<ref>{{Cite web |last=Purushothaman |first=Kirubhakar |date=21 May 2020 |title=Karthik Dial Seytha Yenn short film review: Gautam Menon's 96 in a phone call |url=https://www.cinemaexpress.com/reviews/tamil/2020/may/21/karthik-dial-seytha-yenn-short-film-review-gautam-menons-96-in-a-phone-call-18533.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20200521182313/https://www.cinemaexpress.com/reviews/tamil/2020/may/21/karthik-dial-seytha-yenn-short-film-review-gautam-menons-96-in-a-phone-call-18533.html |archive-date=21 May 2020 |access-date=21 May 2020 |website=[[Cinema Express]]}}</ref> [[Baradwaj Rangan]] of ''[[Film Companion]]'' wrote "A reflection on the 12-odd minutes spent with the characters that continue to haunt us, even after 10 years."<ref>{{Cite web |last=Rangan |first=Baradwaj |author-link=Baradwaj Rangan |date=7 May 2020 |title=Karthik Dial Seydha Yenn: Gautham Vasudev Menon, STR And Trisha Give Us A Lovely Reunion, With A Pinch Of Pain |url=https://www.filmcompanion.in/features/tamil-features/karthik-dial-seydha-yenn-gautham-vasudev-menon-str-and-trisha-give-us-a-lovely-reunion-with-a-pinch-of-pain/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210504201454/https://www.filmcompanion.in/features/tamil-features/karthik-dial-seydha-yenn-gautham-vasudev-menon-str-and-trisha-give-us-a-lovely-reunion-with-a-pinch-of-pain/ |archive-date=4 May 2021 |access-date=18 May 2021 |website=[[Film Companion]]}}</ref> Manoj Kumar R. of ''[[The Indian Express]]'' stated "''Karthik Dial Seytha Yenn'' is nothing but Gautham Menon giving himself a much-needed pep-talk in front of the mirror before he begins to write his next big film."<ref>{{Cite web |date=23 May 2020 |title=Deconstructing Karthik Dial Seytha Yenn: Gautham calling Gautham |url=https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/opinion-entertainment/review-karthik-dial-seytha-yenn-simbu-trisha-gautham-menon-6421484/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200610092546/https://indianexpress.com/article/entertainment/opinion-entertainment/review-karthik-dial-seytha-yenn-simbu-trisha-gautham-menon-6421484/ |archive-date=10 June 2020 |access-date=6 August 2021 |website=[[The Indian Express]]}}</ref> Srivatsan S. of ''[[The Hindu]]'' wrote the film as "a letter of unrequited love" and called that "even after ten years of the first film, the characters linger in the mind and with a simple storyline being minimal and realistic".<ref name="unrequited" /> 

== References ==
{{reflist}}

== External links ==
*{{IMDb title}}

{{Gautham Vasudev Menon}}

[[Category:2020 films]]
[[Category:2020 romantic drama films]]
[[Category:2020 short films]]
[[Category:2020 Indian films]]
[[Category:2020 Tamil-language films]]
[[Category:Films about screenwriters]]
[[Category:Films directed by Gautham Vasudev Menon]]
[[Category:Films scored by A. R. Rahman]]
[[Category:Films set in Chennai]]
[[Category:Films set in Kerala]]
[[Category:Indian films about the COVID-19 pandemic]]
[[Category:Indian romantic drama films]]
[[Category:Indian sequel films]]
[[Category:Indian short films]]
[[Category:Tamil-language Indian films]]
[[Category:Tamil-language romantic drama films]]
[[Category:Two-handers]]