✦ Celebrity stories, facts and career updates. Explore F4U now →

Home › Biography › Rashami Desai

Rashami Desai biographyFeatured Biography

Image source: StarsUnfolded

Celebrities

Rashami Desai Biography: Age, Career, Family and More

F4U Editorial Desk • Updated October 1, 2026 • 6 min read

Quick Info

Date of birth13 February 1986

Age39 Years

BirthplaceNagaon, Assam, India

ProfessionActress, Model, Dancer

NationalityIndian

Marital statusDivorced

SpouseNandish Sandhu (m. 2012–div. 2015)

FamilyFather - Ajay Desai; Mother - Rasila Desai; Brother - Gaurav Desai

Rashami Desai Biography

Rashami Desai (born Divya Desai on 13 February 1986) is an Indian actress, model and trained classical dancer who rose to fame for her portrayal of Tapasya

Early life and background

Rashami Desai was born Divya Desai on 13 February 1986 in Nagaon, Assam. Her family has roots in Gujarat and she spent part of her early life in a middle-class household. Her father, Ajay Desai, died when she was a child. Rashami attended JB Khot Primary School in Borivali East, Mumbai, and later pursued a diploma at Narsee Monjee College of Commerce and Economics. She trained in Bharatanatyam and Kathak, and developed an interest in classical music.

Career

Rashami got her first acting assignment while studying for her diploma and began working across regional and national cinema and television. Her on-screen debut included a cameo in the Assamese film Kanyadaan (2002). She went on to appear in a mix of films and television projects across languages, including roles in Bhojpuri, Bengali, Assamese and Manipuri productions as well as Hindi films.

Her early film credits include Yeh Lamhe Judaai Ke (2004) and Balma Bada Nadaan (2004), and she later appeared in the Gujarati film Superstar (2017) as Anjali Kapadia. On television she played Mandodari in Raavan (2006) and gained wide recognition for her portrayal of Tapasya Raghuvendra Pratap Rathore in the long-running Hindi serial Uttaran, a role that brought her several industry awards.

Beyond fiction television Rashami has been a frequent presence on Indian reality shows. She has participated in dance, comedy and competition formats such as Nach Baliye 7, Comedy Circus, Zara Nachke Dikha, Jhalak Dikhhla Ja, Kitchen Champion Season 2 and Bigg Boss 13, among others. In 2015 she competed in Nach Baliye 7 with then-husband Nandish Sandhu. Her television credits also include serials like Ishq Ka Rang Safed, Adhuri Kahaani Hamari and Dil Se Dil Tak.

Awards and recognition

Rashami’s performance in Uttaran earned her multiple accolades, including awards presented by the Indian Television Academy, Indian Telly Awards and Boroplus Gold Awards for her work in a negative role. She also received other recognitions around the same period and won a Colors Golden Petal Award for best onscreen pairing with Siddharth Shukla for Dil Se Dil Tak.

Public profile

Rashami is known outside acting for her dancing, her outgoing personality on reality TV and her engagement with social media. She changed her screen name from Divya to Rashami in 2008 after producers suggested a different name for a particular show. She has been open about health issues publicly, including revealing a diagnosis of psoriasis in 2019. Rashami keeps a visible affection for animals and is often seen with her pet dog, Oreo. She has spoken about music preferences that include Indian classical styles and counts figures such as Madhuri Dixit and Alia Bhatt among favourite actresses.

Personal life

Rashami married actor Nandish Sandhu in February 2012; the marriage ended in divorce. She has been linked in media reports with several personalities over time, and media coverage has also included disputes and controversies connected to her personal relationships and public statements. She identifies as Hindu and has a visible devotion to Lord Ganesha.

Latest updates

Rashami entered Bigg Boss 13 as a contestant in 2019, a stint that was widely covered by entertainment media. Over the years she has continued to work across television and regional cinema while remaining a regular participant in reality programming. She continues to be associated with dance and television roles while maintaining a high public profile through appearances and interviews.
◈

Recent Work

Bigg Boss 13

Contestant on the reality show (2019)

2019
Superstar

Gujarati film as Anjali Kapadia

2017
Uttaran

Television serial; role of Tapasya Raghuvendra Pratap Rathore

2010
✦

Career Highlights

  1. Shot to fame for the role of Tapasya in Uttaran
  2. Multiple awards for negative role performance including Indian Television Academy and Indian Telly Awards
  3. Contestant on Bigg Boss 13 and participant in several reality shows such as Nach Baliye 7 and Jhalak Dikhhla Ja
?

Frequently Asked Questions

When was Rashami Desai born?

13 February 1986

What is Rashami Desai known for?

Actress, Model, Dancer

What is Rashami Desai’s marital status?

Divorced

Who is Rashami Desai married to?

Nandish Sandhu (m. 2012–div. 2015)