You know that feeling when a new character walks onto a long-running show and just... shifts the entire energy? It's rare. Usually, fans of a series that’s been on for a decade are pretty protective of their "found family." Then comes Rati Gupta.
Honestly, most people recognized her immediately as the woman who finally—finally—gave Raj Koothrappali a run for his money. But if you think her career starts and ends with a wedding that didn't happen on network TV, you're missing the coolest parts of her filmography. From playing a "carefree future human" to being a three-time champion of The Moth StorySlam, Gupta isn’t just an actress; she's a storyteller with a background that’s kind of wild.
The Big Bang Theory: The Anu Whirlwind
Let’s talk about the elephant in the room: Anu. When Rati Gupta joined the 12th and final season of The Big Bang Theory, she had a massive task. She had to play the woman Raj agreed to marry in an arranged setup.
Most fans expected a stereotypical "traditional" bride. Instead, Gupta gave us a powerhouse. Anu was a concierge at a high-end hotel with a tongue piercing and zero patience for nonsense. She was the one who got down on one knee. She was dominant, focused, and totally unapologetic about what she wanted.
What’s funny is that in real life, Rati is a massive music lover, but the writers gave Anu a specific disdain for music. Watching her navigate Raj’s hopeless romanticism with her "let's just get this done" attitude was one of the highlights of the final season. Even though they didn't end up together—Raj stayed in LA while she took a management job in London—she gave his character the growth he’d been lacking for years.
👉 See also: The Entire History of You: What Most People Get Wrong About the Grain
Future Man and the "Bonkers" Sci-Fi Era
Before she was picking out flowers with Raj, Rati was part of a very different, much weirder ensemble. If you haven't seen Future Man on Hulu, you're basically doing yourself a disservice.
Produced by Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg, the show is high-octane, R-rated sci-fi comedy. Gupta played Rake in the second season. She was part of a "unique family group" (to put it mildly) that Wolf—played by the brilliant Derek Wilson—ends up in.
Rake was a total departure from the corporate, polished vibe of Anu. She was "ethnically ambiguous," carefree, and lived in a post-apocalyptic future that was, in Gupta's own words, "bonkers." Shooting this while auditioning for The Big Bang Theory during her lunch breaks is a testament to her range. One minute she’s playing a survivor in a dystopian future, the next she’s a hotel manager in Pasadena.
Beyond the Sitcom: Unbelievable and Better Things
While comedy is clearly her home base, Rati has some serious dramatic chops that usually fly under the radar.
✨ Don't miss: Shamea Morton and the Real Housewives of Atlanta: What Really Happened to Her Peach
- Unbelievable (Netflix): She appeared as Sally Green in this heavy-hitting limited series. If you’ve seen it, you know it’s a grueling, important watch about the systemic failures in sexual assault investigations. It’s worlds away from the laugh track of a sitcom.
- Better Things (FX): Working with Pamela Adlon is a bucket-list item for most actors. Rati popped up in the episode "Future Fever" as a bank teller. Even in a small role, she held her own in Adlon's hyper-realistic, improvisational world.
- Worst. Prom. Ever. (MTV): This was actually her first big break. She played Nikki in this 2011 TV movie. It’s a classic teen disaster flick, but for Rati, it was the moment she realized she could play characters where her ethnicity wasn't the entire plot point.
The Professional Dancer You Didn't Know About
Here is a fact that usually surprises people: Rati Gupta didn't move to LA to be an actress. She moved there to be a backup dancer for Janet Jackson.
She was a double major at Northwestern University—Psychology and Dance. After graduating, she spent years dancing 16 hours a day at The Edge studio in Los Angeles. She actually made it into music videos for Lupe Fiasco and Flo Rida.
The switch to acting only happened because of a comedy coach who told her, "You know you're funny, right?" That realization changed everything. She started doing stand-up and studying at UCB (Upright Citizens Brigade), which eventually led to her being a "3-time champion" of The Moth. If you’ve never heard her Moth stories, go find them. They are raw, hilarious, and show exactly why she was able to walk onto a set like The Big Bang Theory and not be intimidated.
What’s Next for Rati Gupta?
As of 2026, Rati has transitioned into more behind-the-scenes work while continuing to act. She has been vocal about wanting to create her own content—specifically scripts that feature South Asian characters who aren't defined by "the struggle" or "the accent."
🔗 Read more: Who is Really in the Enola Holmes 2 Cast? A Look at the Faces Behind the Mystery
She’s often mentioned in interviews that her goal is to see more POC-led ensembles, famously joking that she’d love to see a version of Sex and the City populated entirely by women of color (she’d be the Samantha, obviously).
How to Watch Her Best Work
If you're looking to catch up on her best performances, here is the roadmap:
- The Big Bang Theory (Season 12): Watch for her chemistry with Kunal Nayyar and her refusal to be a "meek" love interest.
- Future Man (Season 2): For the weird, gritty, and hilarious side of her acting.
- The Moth StorySlam: Search for her live storytelling sets to see the "real" Rati.
The big takeaway from Rati Gupta’s career so far is versatility. She went from being a pre-med student to a hip-hop dancer to one of the most talked-about guest stars on the biggest sitcom in the world. She’s built a career by being the person who says "no" to unjustified accents and "yes" to roles that challenge the status quo.
Next Steps for Fans:
If you want to support more of her work, look for her short film The Secret Admirer or follow her social channels where she often posts about her advocacy for diverse representation in Hollywood. You can also stream her episodes of The Big Bang Theory on Max to see the "Anu era" in full.