Tamil film comedian Krishnamurthy and Carnatic classical singer M. L. Vasanthakumari were her parents.

[2] [3] [4] Srividya started her career as a child artist in the 1967 Tamil film Thiruvarutchelvar alongside legendary actor Sivaji Ganesan.

However, her first major role was that of a college student falling in love with her professor in the 1971 Tamil film Nootrukku Nooru, directed by K. Balachander.

She acted in films such as Velli Vizha, Sollathaan Ninaikkiren and Apoorva Raagangal, all directed by K. Balachander.

[16] She later sang in several films, such as Oru Painkilikkadha, Njangalude Kochu Doctor, Rathilayam and Nakshathratharattu.

[17] Srividya has acted in many films including Annai Velankanni, Unarchigal and Apoorva Raagangal with Kamal Haasan.

A few years later Kamal Haasan began courting Vani Ganapathy and they got married which was a great disappointment for Sri Vidya.

Later she fell in love with George Thomas, an assistant director in her Malayalam film Teekkanal.

She wanted to stay as a housewife, but had to return to acting, when George forced her to, citing financial issues.

[20] In 2003, she underwent a biopsy test following physical problems and was diagnosed positive for metastatic breast cancer.

Two months before her death on 17 August 2006, Srividya had executed a will and entrusted K. B. Ganesh Kumar, cine actor and MLA, to register a charitable society to ‘start a music and dance school for efficient students who could not get ample opportunities due to lack of money or to give away scholarship to such students to continue their studies and to extend financial assistance to deserving ailing artistes.’ "I am bequeathing all my properties except some payments mentioned elsewhere in this will.