Her debut came with the Malayalam film Love in Singapore (2002), but it was her work in Tamil cinema that skyrocketed her to stardom. The 2005 film Chanakya , starring opposite Sarathkumar, established her as a sought-after heroine. However, the turning point was the 2006 action-comedy Thalai Nagaram with Sundar C. These early films set the template: high-energy dance numbers, powerful dialogues, and a glamorous yet strong female lead.