Born on October 7, 1941, in Kanchipuram, Tamil Nadu, Iyer began his career in the film industry as an assistant director. He made his directorial debut with the 1974 film "Thangathile Vairam," which marked the beginning of a successful career. Over the years, he has worked with some of the biggest names in Tamil cinema, including Rajinikanth, Kamal Haasan, and Vijay.