Mahalakshmi made her playback debut with the film "Dus" in 1997"," but the film never completed and released due to the sudden passing of the film's director. The album however was released in 1999 as a tribute. She sang the track "Ae Ajnabee" with Udit Narayan for A. R. Rahman in Mani Ratnam's "Dil Se.." which was her first release as a playback singer and considered to be her debut. Mahalakshmi continued singing for Shankar-Ehsaan-Loy and A.R. Rahman in many films which followed.