One of the most popular TV and film actors in the Kannada and Malayalam entertainment industries, Chitra Shenoy has begun her career more than two decades ago. She made her film debut in 1990 with the Kannada movie Mouna Horata and since then has appeared in several movies. In 1999, she appeared in the movie Chaitrada Chiguru directed by K Shiva, which fetched her the Film Fans Best Supporting Actress Award. Some of her Kannada movies include Hrudaya Hrudaya (1999), Asura (2001), Ondagona Baa (2003), Hatavadi (2006), Kempe Gowda (2011), and Maduveya Mamatheya Kareyole (2016).She is known as the 'young mother' in the Kannada film industry having portrayed the role of a mother to almost all top stars in Kannada.