 Born in Vasudevanallur, Tirunelveli district (present day Tenkasi district), he moved to Chennai to complete a Physics degree at Loyola College.Despite getting an opportunity to pursue further studies at an engineering college in Madurai, he declined the offer and stayed in Chennai, with the hope of finding a breakthrough as an actor in Tamil films.To be financially self-dependent, he began working in hotels and as a steward, before receiving an offer to apprentice under K. Bhagyaraj.