Rashami Desai

Rashami Desai, born Shivani Desai on 13 February 1986 in Nagaon, Assam, India, is a versatile Indian television and film actress widely recognized for her portrayal of Tapasya Thakur (nicknamed "Tappu") in the acclaimed Colors TV soap opera Uttaran.

Rashami Desai was born and brought up in Mumbai, Maharashtra, where she completed her schooling and undergraduate studies. She pursued a diploma in tours and travels from Narsee Monjee College of Commerce and Economics in Mumbai. She is a trained Kathak and Bharatnatyam dancer.

She began her acting career at the age of 16, making her debut in the 2002 Assamese film Kanyadaan.

Full Name	Rashami Desai
Other Name(s)	Divya Desai
Occupation	Actress
Date of Birth	13-February-1986 (40 years)
Birth Location	Nagaon, Assam, India
Gender	Female
Nationality	Indian
Religion	Hindu
Zodiac Sign	Aquarius
Height	160 cm
Weight	57 kg
Eye Colour	Black
Hair Colour	Black
School	JB Khot Primary School
College	Narsee Monjee College of Commerce and Economics, Mumbai
Qualification	Diploma degree in Tours and Travels
Hobbies	Dancing, Driving, Travelling

She made her Bollywood debut in the 2004 romantic mystery film Yeh Lamhe Judaai Ke (also known as Y lamhe Judaai Ke), directed by Biryanath Tiwari, alongside Shahrukh Khan and Raveena Tandon, where she played Sheetal, a college student whose elder sister is murdered.

Before gaining fame on television, she worked in several B-grade films in Hindi, Assamese, Bengali, Manipuri, and Bhojpuri languages. In Bhojpuri, she acted in the film Kab Hoi Gawna Hamar, which won a National Award.

Her television debut occurred in 2006 with the mythological drama series Raavan on Zee TV, where she played Queen Mandotiri. She subsequently appeared in Pari Hoon Main (Star One) and Meet Mila De Rabba (Sony TV). Desai gained widespread recognition and fame in June 2009 when she joined Uttaran as Tapasya Raghuvendra Pratap Rathore, a role that became life-changing for her.

Uttaran aired on Colors TV from 1 December 2008 to 16 January 2015 and was the third longest-running Indian television series on the channel.

After Uttaran, she played Shorvori Bhanushali in Dil Se Dil Tak (2017–2018) alongside Sidharth Shukla, tracing the lives of a married couple facing family opposition to their inter-cultural marriage. In November 2019, she joined Naagin 4: Bhagya Ka Zehreela Khel as Shalakha in Colors TV's supernatural revenge franchise. She also appeared in Adhuri Kahaani Hamari on &TV as Preeti (Icchadhari Naagin/Daayan).

She has participated in several reality shows, including Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa 5, Nach Baliye 7, and Kitchen Champion 5. She appeared as a special guest in Bigg Boss 6 and in the finale of Bigg Boss 10 alongside Siddharth Shukla to promote Dil Se Dil Tak.

In Bigg Boss 13 (2019), she finished as the third runner-up and was reportedly the highest-paid contestant. She returned as a wild card contestant in Bigg Boss 15 in week 8, becoming a finalist before being evicted.

Rashami Desai is a recipient of several accolades, including two Indian Television Academy Awards and Gold Awards. She has established herself as one of the most popular and highest-paid actresses on Indian television. In 2020, she became the first Indian television actress to collaborate with Google for the newly launched app Cameos, designed to better connect celebrities with their fans.

She married her Uttaran co-star Nandish Sandhu on 12 February 2011 in Ghaziabad; the couple fell in love during the show. They separated in 2014 and filed for divorce in 2015 after almost four years of marriage. According to reports, she was reportedly dating actor Arhaan Khan after her divorce.

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