Suryakantham was born and brought up in a Telugu family residing at Venkata Krishnaraya Puram near Kakinada of East Godavari district in Andhra Pradesh.

Suryakantham started as a dancer in Chandralekha, produced by the Gemini Studios, for which she had been paid Rs 75 in remuneration.

She got her first role as character artiste in Narada Naradi, but eventually quit her job at Gemini Studios.

Knowing that the producer had dropped a heroine from his movie on personal grounds, and that the same was given to her, Suryakantham rejected the offer, saying "I can't live on the unhappiness of other artists."

She subsequently appeared in the Telugu film Kodarikam, which brought her a new level of success.