Rohatgi was born in Banjara Hills, Hyderabad, India. She is the daughter of Veena Rohatgi and Shashank Rohatgi. She has a brother named Gaurav Rohatgi. She was brought up in a middle-class family and grew up in Ahmedabad, Gujarat. She completed her schooling from Udgam School, Ahmedabad. She stood 7th in her 12th standard exams in entire Gujarat state. Being academically very strong she choose to take up engineering in her college. She is a qualified Computer Engineer which is passed with distinction from Lalbhai Dalpatbhai College of Engineering,Ahmedabad. Her father is a Chemical Engineer and mother worked as a Supervisor Teacher till like 2015 when she quit recently owing to assist in family business. Her brother is a Electronics Engineer. He is presently looking after family business in Ahmedabad. Since chilhdhood, Payal was a fitness freak and had won a lot of medals in sports competition in her school and college. Coming from a completely non-film background her foray into the Bollywood industry was quite a shocker for her family. Her inclination towards the glamour world started when was selected as the most Famous and pretty girl in her college during their annual festival days. Lateron her friends cajoled her to participate in the Miss India competition and the journey to Mumbai began.

Payal Rohatgi is a Gujarat Board Topper, and a Computer Engineer who took fancy to cinema, television and acting as a result of being a finalist in Femina Miss India. Her love and passion for acting developed during the short training period for Femina Miss India and she grabbed the opportunities that came her way during the finals of it. Since then she has never looked back.

Payal is an actor of repute and has been in the industry for almost 15 years and has done a number of good films and many serials that speak well of her abilities and flexibility to adapt to different roles and switch from big screen to small screen and vice versa. Her notable assignments in cinema are Corporate, Dhol, 36 China Town, Dil Kabaddi, Rakht, Plan, to name a few. TV serials are Big Boss Season 2, Survivor India, Nach Baliye 7, Suryaputra Karn, Humsafar etc.

Payal is also a trained Kathak dancer.

She has also bagged the title of "Super Model Miss Tourism World 2002" that was hosted in Medellin, South America. Apart from being an actor, Payal has "walked the ramp" as a show stopper for various designers like Nitya Bajaj Birla, Sanjana Jon, Archana Kochar etc.

She has done TV commercials for Nescafe, Jaguar, Dabur Amla, Amul Milk, Gits Dosa etc.

Payal is a mass entertainer in "live shows" with large gatherings and has many shows to her credit. She has been associated with Country Club for the past 6 years and has performed for corporate shows at schools, colleges and for various reputed brands.

She has anchored few TV shows and award functions like "Brand Impact" awards.

She is an extempore speaker and always ready to debate on any sensitive issue or for a cause on any platform.

Payal is a fitness freak and is fully trained in Yoga. Being highly religious by nature, she takes out time for regular meditation to keep herself fit and get energy to stay ahead in this high competitive field.

Rohatgi started her career by being part of Femina Miss India paegent in the year with Priyanka Chopra, Lara Dutta & Dia Mirza. She later went on to represent India as Miss India Tourism in Miss Tourism World paegent internationally,. There Rohatgi won the coveted title of Supermodel Miss Tourism World.

Soon Rohatgi started modelling for popular brands like Amul, Nirma, Nescafe, Dabur Hair Oil, Jaguar Bath Panel, etc. She gained attention after appearing in a television ad for Cadbury's Temptations Chocolates. Around this time she also appeared in music videos by rock band, Silk Route and Indipop artist, KK.

In 2002 she did her debut with Yeh kya ho raha hai produced By Harry Baweja and in 2006, she got her breakthrough with an Important Role in a big-budget Bollywood film 36 China Town, directed by Abbas Mustan and starring Shahid Kapoor, Kareena Kapoor, Paresh Rawal, & Akshaye Khanna.

In 2006, she was offered an item song in Madhur Bhandarkar film Corporate which became one of the chartbuster songs of the year. This led to Payal doing a lot of Stage Performances owing to her sudden popularity. She even trained Kathak under Pandit ViruKrishna which tremendously helped her in her stage shows.

In 2008, she was seen in a cameo opposite Ranvir Shorey in PNC film Ugly Aur Pagli which was released in August. In mid-September, she appeared opposite Irrfan Khan in the TV18 film Dil Kabaddi.

In 2010, Payal Rohatgi made her theatre debut with director and producer Vandana Sajnani play called Fourplay. She said she thoroughly enjoyed working with a lady director for the first time in her career. Also Rohatgi found the theatre medium quite powerful as compared to films and television.

September 2013 saw Rohatgi in Life OK's TV fiction show Hum Ne Li Hai Shapath where she played the supervillain Gong in the special episodal comic series.

In 2014 Rohatgi was part of the National Anthem that was shot by director Rajeev Walia with 70 Indian celebrities & was released worldwide in 150 countries in August. 30 September 2014 Rohatgi will make her Television Debut as a Negative lead character Anam in Sony TV show Humsafars. She is very excited to be part of television fiction shows considering that earlier it was reality shows on television that gave her love and respect among her fans. Ms Rohatgi was loved by the way she portrayed the stylish character Anam by the audiences. Her talent as an actress was clearly visible. The show got finished on 27 February 2015. In April 2015, Ms Rohatgi with her Fiance Wrestler Sangram Singh were seen in a Dance Reality show NachBaliye7 which was telecast on Star Plus. They gave some amazing dance performances and lasted in the show till the 7th Gala episode. They were voted out by the judges as there was No Public Voting which was quite a shocker to their fans who were showering their love on this sweet couple by trending them Pan-India everyweek till the time the couple was in the show. Nevertheless, both Sangram and Payal exited gracefully they both believe that whatever happens is for the best.

Later on we came to know that Sangram Singh, Ms Rohatgi fiance and an International Wrestler had a fight with Canadian Wrestler Joe Legend in South Africa on 18 July 2015 which coincided with the Finale of NachBaliye7. Apparently Sangram and Payal had signed the show till 5 July and then the makers extended the finale dates to 18 July. Also there were reports that the makers were giving partial treatment to a few contestants by allowing them to travel abroad during the reality shooting of the show.^[15][16]

Since 2011 Rohatgi has been in a committed relationship with Gold medal Indian Wrestler Sangram Singh whom she met on the sets of reality show Survivor India.^[17][18] On 27 February 2014, she got engaged to wrestler Sangram Singh in Ahmedabad.^[19] Sangram has been like a son to her family as he was instrumental in reuniting Payal's father and mother after 16 years as they were separated due to some difference in opinions. He is more close to her family than she is, is what Ms Rohatgi jokes sometimes.^[20]

Payal proclaims that she has become an ardent fan of Yoga on her own and thoroughly enjoys the regime as it doubles up as her fitness routine too.^[21] She is an ardent devotee of Sai Baba of Shirdi.^[22]

Both Payal and Sangram want to use their celebrity status for creating awareness on education and healthy living. They are the brand ambassadors of IHRO International Human Rights Organisation and are a part of their new campaign Aware India for Health and Education ^[23]

Non Fiction/Reality Shows

Fiction Shows

• C.I.D. (2010) .... Herself
• Hum Ne Li Hai- Shapath (2013).... Character GONG (special episodal)
• Humsafars (2014-2015)...Negative lead (Anam)
• 2025 Jaane Kya Hoga Aage (2015) ...Special appearance(Forum)
• Agent Raghav - Crime Branch (2015)...Special appearance(Manjeera)
• Suryaputra Karn (2016)... Amba / Shikhandini / Shikhandi