Rati Agnihotri was born on December 10, 1960, in Bombay, India, to a Punjabi family. She has an older sister and brother. Her father, who was a traditional and conservative man, allowed her to model at the age of 10, as her sister Anita was a Miss Young India.
At the age of 16, Rati's father relocated the family to Madras, Tamil Nadu, due to his job. She attended Good Shepherd's Convent school and acted in a school play. Her performance caught the attention of famous film director Bharati Raja, who was looking for a heroine for his new film.
Rati's father agreed to let her star in the film, Pudhiya Varpukal (1979),and she became an overnight sensation. She went on to star in many more films, including Neeram Maradapukal (1979),and worked with big banners and top stars like Kamal Haasan, Rajinikanth, and Shobhan Babu.
Rati's entry into Hindi films came from her strong connection to South Indian cinema. She had worked with director K. Balanchander and had been Kamal Haasan's leading lady in many South Indian films, so she wasn't surprised when they approached her for the Hindi remake of their Telugu blockbuster, Marocharithra (1979).
The film, now re-titled "Ek Duje Ke Liye" (1981),became the top-grossing hit of 1981 and introduced the 5 stars of the South Indian film industry to Hindi cinema. Although all received Filmfare nominations, only Rati and S.P. Balasubramaniam were the real beneficiaries, both becoming top stars in their field.
Rati's father managed her career, and she went on to star in over 43 Hindi films, including Shaukeen (1982),Farz Aur Kanoon (1982),Coolie (1983),and Tawaif (1985). She received her second Filmfare nomination as Best Actress for Tawaif.
After her father's death and her marriage to businessman and architect Anil Virwani in 1985, Rati left Hindi films and focused on raising her son Tanuj and pursuing other creative interests. She received a degree in Reike and distantly heals people.
Rati retired from films but continued to appear at film events, looking beautiful and glamorous. After 16 years, she returned to films with a supporting role in Kuch Khatti Kuch Meethi (2001). She then appeared in Yaadein (2001),Dev (2004),and Majnu (2001),her first Tamil film in 20 years.
She also made her Malayalam debut in Anyar (2003) and English debut in An Ode to Lost Love (2003). Rati has acted on stage in plays like "Please Divorce Me Darling" (2005) and television serials like Sixer (2005). She continues to support her husband's architectural creations and devotes time to social causes like cancer, AIDS, and menopause awareness for 40-plus women.
In 2010, she supported her son Tanuj's decision to enter films as an actor. In 2015, she separated from her husband.
