Kalanjiyam's first film Poomani featuring Murali and Devayani won commercial and critical acclaim and the director won the Tamil Nadu State Film Award for Best Story Writer for 1996. His next venture, the rural drama Kizhakkum Merkkum, starring Napoleon with Devayani also won positive reviews. Kalanjiyam later started a film titled Kesavan with Sarathkumar and Rambha which was later shelved, before going on to make the Prabhu-starrer Mitta Miraasu in 2001.