With her passion for poetry, she decided to move to Chennai, where she worked as a freelance journalist in an organization named Bhagya and wrote essays, stories and poems.
Director Seeman assigned her as lyricist for the song "Thendral Enthan" for his Tamil film Iniyavale.
Her work together with music director Harris Jayaraj in Minnale marked the turning point in her film industry career, primarily noted for her song "Vaseegara" in the movie.
[citation needed] After Minnale, the trio, composed of director Gautham Vasudev Menon and music director Harris Jayaraj, teamed up several times again (Kaakha Kaakha, Vettaiyaadu Vilaiyaadu, Pachaikili Muthucharam and Vaaranam Aayiram) and were a very successful collaboration in the film field, until the break-up between Menon and Jayaraj happened.
Menon, Jayaraj and Thamarai teamed up again in July 2014 for the Ajith Kumar film Yennai Arindhaal.