[1][2] In December 1986, Vaiyapuri moved from his hometown of Theni to Chennai hoping to become an actor in the Tamil film industry.
Unable to immediately get a chance in films because of his skinny physical stature, he worked as a bearer at a hotel on Mount Road.
[3] Vaiyapuri's first break came through television serials on Doordarshan, where he notably worked on an adaptation of Sujatha's Kolaiyuthir Kalam.
His work in Thulladha Manamum Thullum (1999), where he portrayed a comedic role of a man slowly becoming a transgender, won him further critical acclaim.
In 2017, Vaiyapuri received media attention for taking part in the reality television show Bigg Boss hosted by Kamal Haasan.