Prabhu Deva began his career as a choreographer in the late 1980s, working on several Tamil films. His breakthrough as a choreographer came with the 1990 film "Vishnu" starring Venkatesh. He then transitioned to directing, making his debut with the 1999 Tamil film "Ugram." However, it was his second directorial venture, "Raja Rani" (2013), that earned him widespread acclaim and recognition.