The son of actor T. S. Balaiah, he primarily featured in supporting roles throughout his career, which stretched over 40 years.

Junior Balaiah then acted in several films but failed to recreate the success of his father.

[8] In the 2010s, Balaiah made rare appearances in films and won acclaim for his portrayal of a headmaster in Saattai (2012).

He appeared in four films in 2015 including Thani Oruvan and Puli.

[9][10] In 2014, Balaiah revealed his intentions of becoming a film producer to launch his son's acting career.