 He started his film career appearing as an extra and then in minor roles in films, before making a breakthrough with his role in Balu Mahendra's comedy film "Raman Abdullah" (1997).The success of the film prompted several film makers to approach him for comedic roles in their projects, with the actor subsequently winning acclaim for his roles in "Kadhal Palli" (1997), "Priyamudan" (1998) and "Kaathala Kaathala", where he collaborated with actor Kamal Haasan.In the late 1990s, he continued appearing as a supporting actor, often portraying one of the several comedians in a film.