Born on December 7, 1948, in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, Lakshmi began her acting career at a young age. She made her debut in the 1963 Tamil film "Chakkaravarthi," but it was her performance in the 1966 film "Paramanam" that gained her recognition. Her breakthrough role came in 1971 with the film "Arangetram," which earned her critical acclaim and established her as a leading lady in Tamil cinema.