Born on February 7, 1952, in Pondicherry, Lakshmi Rai began her acting career as a child artist in the 1960s. Her early years in cinema were marked by appearances in Tamil and Telugu films, where she quickly gained recognition for her talent and charm. Her breakthrough role came in 1972 with the Tamil film "Ullasathiyagi," which catapulted her to stardom and established her as a leading lady in South Indian cinema.