He had spent many days starving himself and searching for a chance in films. In 1952, he attempted suicide by ingesting copper sulphate crystals in the canteen of Gemini Studios. He had written a suicide note explaining his reasons, which included that he had been unable to meet the director S. S. Vasan, and that his body was to be handed over to B. S. Ramaiah, the director of his only film at that date. Suicide was a criminal offence and so he was arrested. But when his case came to trial the judge asked him to prove his acting ability. Chandrababu rendered a Shakespearean monologue that so impressed the judge that he was not jailed. One of those who had assisted him in being taken to hospital at the time of his attempted suicide was Gemini Ganesan. When Vasan came to know of this episode he gave Chandrababu a small role in the 1952 film "Moondru Pillaigal", which impressed Vasan so much that he predicted a successful career. for him. Chandrababu also filmed "Chinna Durai" and "Mohana Sundaram" in the same year. It is claimed that, as of 2016, he remained the only person capable of yodelling in south Indian cinema. Chandrababu loved western music and learned the art of yodelling by listening to singers such as Gene Autry and Hank Williams. In "Chinna Durai", produced and directed by T. R. Mahalingam, he sang the song "Poda Raja Podi Nadaya", the first time that yodelling had been heard in a South Indian film.Chandrababu was paid Rs 200 for his role in "Mohana Sundaram". At his peak he was to command over Rs 100,000, becoming the first South Indian comedy actor to command such a sum.